As the Pittsburgh Steelers continue their search for a new head coach, fans and analysts can’t seem to agree on which direction the team should go in. Should it keep the long-standing tradition of hiring a defensive-minded coach like Mike Tomlin, or is it finally time to bring in an offensive-minded leader to shake things up and spark something new? According to former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher, the decision goes much deeper than just picking offensive or defensive preference. He believes the choice is rooted in something more foundational, especially after some of the issues that surfaced during Tomlin’s 19-year run.
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Steelers offensive leaders Jerome Bettis and Ben Roethlisberger meet with Head Coach Bill Cowher on the sideline.
There were plenty of highs and plenty of lows throughout Tomlin’s tenure in Pittsburgh. On one hand, the accomplishments are impressive: 19 consecutive non-losing seasons, eight AFC North titles, 13 playoff appearances, two trips to the Super Bowl and one Lombardi Trophy.
Those numbers reflect consistency, stability, and a standard of competitiveness that many organizations would kill to have. But the other side of the story paints a more frustrating picture. The final decade of Tomlin’s career included a nine-year playoff win drought and a seven-game playoff losing streak, which left many fans feeling stuck in a loop of early postseason exits and the same issues repeating themselves year after year.
Even though Tomlin was respected by players and widely regarded as a strong motivator, the flaws were noticeable and often costly. Cowher believes that when the Steelers pick its next head coach, the focus needs to shift away from labels like “offensive coach” or “defensive coach” and, instead, center on qualities that haven’t been as strong in Pittsburgh in recent years.
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Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher on set of The NFL Today.
While speaking on The NFL Today on CBS before the AFC Divisional Round game on Saturday, Cowher laid out what he believed should matter most for the Steelers in their next hire.
“I think it’s just got to be someone who can stand up there and be a leader of men. I don’t want to label that as offense or defense. I think it’s more than that,” Cowher said. “You gotta be able to hire good assistants, you gotta be smart, be able to adapt and adjust as you understand who your team is and what your team is about.”
Anyone who has watched Steelers football over the past decade knows that hiring strong assistants, adapting to the roster, and making timely adjustments were consistent weaknesses. For a coach who preached “the standard is the standard,” the standard rarely seemed to evolve, and that lack of evolution eventually became one of the biggest criticisms surrounding his leadership.
Take the coordinator hires, for example. Tomlin was known for promoting from within the building, sticking with familiar faces rather than exploring outside options. Randy Fichtner, Matt Canada, Keith Butler, and Teryl Austin were all internal hires or long-time staffers. While there’s nothing wrong with loyalty, the results were mixed at best and flat-out bad at times, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The offense became predictable, stagnant, and lacking identity, and yet the coaching staff rarely changed in a meaningful way until things hit a breaking point.
Then there were the in-game decisions, or the lack thereof. Fans grew used to watching the Steelers play the same style week after week, even when matchups clearly called for adjustments. Tomlin didn’t adapt his scheme to his roster nearly as often as he needed to.
Whether it was sticking with struggling coordinators, keeping underperforming starters in key roles, or refusing to overhaul schemes that the rest of the league had already figured out, he stayed committed to the same philosophy from 2007 all the way through 2025. The NFL changes fast, and the teams that remain contenders are the ones that adjust just as quickly. Pittsburgh didn’t, and the results showed.
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Former Steelers Head Coach Bill Cowher yells at Ben Roethlisberger during a professional football game in Pittsburgh, PA.
Steelers Must Find Dependable Coordinators
On top of finding the right head coach, it’s going to be just as important for the Steelers to hire the right coordinators.
No matter who gets the top job, they can’t turn things around alone. The NFL is too detailed and too competitive for a head coach to cover every angle without strong voices around them.
Pittsburgh needs coordinators who bring fresh ideas, understand modern schemes, and know how to develop players instead of just plugging them into the same old system. Whether that’s a creative offensive mind or a sharp defensive strategist, those hires will play a massive role in shaping the team’s identity moving forward.
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