Steelers' James Harrison Unleashes Harsh Truth About Mike Tomlin’s Coaching Tree

The Pittsburgh Steelers have cycled through their fair share of coordinators during Mike Tomlin’s tenure as head coach. It’s been 15 years since Pittsburgh last reached the Super Bowl, and the team still appears to be searching for the right voices on both offense and defense to recapture the success once brought by Dick LeBeau and Bruce Arians. Over much of the past decade, that search has come up short, and one former Steeler believes there is a single common reason why.

Arthur Smith and Teryl Austin are the current play callers for the Pittsburgh offense and defense, and although each of them has had some bright moments over the last couple of seasons, it wouldn't surprise anyone if they don't return to the Steel City in 2026. 

There have been stretches where Smith’s offense has looked creative and physical, especially when the run game is working, but those moments tend to come and go. The same can be said for Austin’s defense, which still flashes the ability to take over games, but too often gives up chunk plays or struggles to get off the field when it matters most.

Entering Week 18, the Steelers sit 26th in the league in total offensive yards and 15th in points scored. On the defensive side, they rank 27th in total yards allowed while also sitting 15th in points surrendered. Those numbers won’t turn many heads, but they paint a familiar picture. It’s the same middle-of-the-pack production Steelers fans have grown used to seeing year after year over the past decade, hovering around average without truly excelling on either side of the ball. 

That feeling of being stuck has followed the Steelers through multiple coordinator changes. From Todd Haley to Randy Fichtner to Matt Canada on offense, and from Keith Butler to now Austin on defense, the results haven’t changed much. Different names, but the same outcome. 

Former Steelers linebacker James Harrison recently weighed in on Pittsburgh’s coaching staff during a recent episode of the Deebo & Joe podcast, where he criticized Tomlin for failing to develop a notable coaching tree throughout his tenure with the Steelers.

"Mike been there almost 20 years, he ain't got one tree in his coaching tree. Not one limb," Harrison said. "Look at Detriot, he [Dan Cambpell] already got two or three."

Around the league, some of the most respected head coaches consistently see their coordinators get hired away. Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Andy Reid, and even newer coaches like Dan Campbell have assistants constantly being mentioned for promotions. In Pittsburgh, that just hasn’t happened. Since Tomlin took over as head coach in 2007, only one of his coordinators has gone on to become an NFL head coach, and that was Arians. 

Arians eventually carved out an impressive career, leading the Arizona Cardinals to multiple playoff appearances and also later guided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl championship during the 2020 season. His success stands as the lone example of a Tomlin assistant making the jump to the league’s top job. Beyond Arians, however, Tomlin’s coaching tree is notably thin. 

None of his offensive or defensive coordinators have earned head coaching opportunities elsewhere in the NFL. Even more telling, several of those assistants struggled to maintain long-term roles in the league after leaving Pittsburgh, with some fading out of NFL coaching altogether. That lack of upward mobility raises questions about development, influence, and how much Tomlin’s staff prepares coaches for success beyond the Steelers organization.

Steelers Might Be Looking For New Coordinators Again

If Smith and Austin do end up nearing the end of their times in Pittsburgh, the Steelers could find themselves right back where they started. Searching for coordinators. It feels like a never-ending cycle where a new coordinator arrives, shows some promise, levels off, and then eventually moves on without leaving much of a lasting impact.

With Smith and Austin potentially on the way out sooner rather than later, the Steelers will once again be tasked with finding the “right” voices on both sides of the ball. The problem is, they’ve been trying to do that for over a decade now. Each change brings hope, but that hope usually fades once the results stay the same. 

Until Pittsburgh finds coordinators who can not only improve the team but also grow into respected leaders around the league, the Steelers may continue spinning their wheels, stuck in the same place they’ve been for years.

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