Steelers: An honest evaluation of Mike Tomlin

As the Steelers enter the regular season finale in need of outside help to reach the playoffs, the debate whether Mike Tomlin should remain the team’s head coach has been re-heated.

The line has been drawn. On one side, there are the anti-Tomlins, those who are chomping at the bit to see him get canned. The Steelers’ cockiness, the annual meltdowns against weak opponents, five straight years without a playoff win – the evidence is certainly there. Last week’s inexcusable loss to the Ravens served as another painful reminder of Tomlin’s blunders.

On the other side are the Tomlin apologists. These fans like to give Coach T the benefit of the doubt in nearly every situation. According to them, the blame should be placed on the players’ lack of execution; it is hard to argue this point. Tomlin’s never-yielding confidence and winning record are what make him worth keeping.

And, as always, there is a level-headed minority in between the conflict, those who can see the strengths and weaknesses of both sides. I’ll be utilizing this approach in an objective evaluation of Tomlin, taking a wholesome look at his coaching report card.

Leadership

The most overlooked quality of a head coach is the intrinsic ability to connect with players on an individual level. One of the primary reasons why Chip Kelly was just fired by the Eagles is due to his lack of ’emotional intelligence’. Essentially, Kelly alienated his players, acing standoffish and refusing to interact with them on a man-to-man basis. A platoon of former Eagles have spoken at length about this. 

Mike Tomlin certainly doesn’t have this problem. He has a strong relationship with his players that goes beyond the typical teacher-instructor link. NFL Films’ Sound FX captured this in the Steelers’ week 15 win over the Broncos, showcasing Tomlin reassuring and motivating his players throughout.

Steelers players resonate with Tomlin. The team has gushed about his “unwavering and unfazed” leadership style for giving them a clear sense of direction, even after losses. His confidence rubs off on the team as a whole. Confidence, though, often turns into something negative…

Ego

A head coach who can put his agenda aside for a smart, calculated strategy is a must-have for a winning franchise – this is football 101. For whatever reason, this is an advanced art form for Tomlin, whose arrogance shines through on a weekly basis.

The most glaring example is seen in Antwon Blake‘s continued role as a starting cornerback. Week after week, Blake is torched, but Tomlin refuses to remove him from the lineup until things get out of hand. Tomlin’s ego is so massive that he had the nerve to match Blake one-on-one with Cincinnati’s A.J. Green a few weeks ago. What happened? A seamless 66-yard touchdown. Against Denver, Demaryius Thomas punked Blake for an easy red zone score.

Covering the opposing team’s elite receiver with a scrub of a cornerback is nothing short of disrespectful. The Steelers paid the price as a result.

“We don’t live in our fears” is the line Tomlin uses to cover up his excessive pride. Going for it on fourth-and-one in Ravens territory on the opening drive is not refusing to live in fear; it’s simply arrogant play-calling. Tomlin has a horrific habit of disrespecting his opposition’s talent while overestimating his own.

Confidence and reassurance of players is excellent. Continually refusing to accept reality is not. Tomlin’s ego may very well end up being his downfall as a head coach.

Winning

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters for a head coach is his team’s record. In nine years as Pittsburgh’s head coach, Tomlin has never had a losing season.

There are plenty of nay-sayers when Tomlin’s success is concerned. The Steelers’ victory in Super Bowl XLIII is commonly labeled a win “with Bill Cowher‘s players”, which is true to a degree. Still, that doesn’t negate the work Tomlin did to win Pittsburgh’s sixth Lombardi. In the 2010 season, Tomlin’s Steelers reached Super Bowl XLV, where they fell to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.

Since then, however, Pittsburgh hasn’t seen a single playoff win. Perhaps the saddest loss in franchise history came at the hands of Tim Tebow and the Broncos in 2011. Consecutive 8-8 campaigns were followed by a Wild Card loss to the Ravens last season. With one week remaining in 2015, the Steelers are 9-6 and must rely on the Buffalo Bills to secure a playoff berth.

Tomlin’s early success has halted. All excuses aside, the Steelers have dropped from an AFC powerhouse to a postseason dark horse. Not a total collapse, but not the direction wanted with one of the NFL’s best offenses.

Bottom line

Tomlin’s greatest asset also serves as his biggest enemy. His confidence all too often turns him into an egomaniac, unable to manage basic game situations. There’s no question that his pride and inefficient preparation has cost the Steelers a number of big games.

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Realistically speaking, though, Tomlin’s job is not in jeopardy. The Steelers like to be patient with their coaches, and rightfully so – study the Browns to see what happens to a franchise when head coaches come in and out on a conveyor belt. Firing Tomlin would crush the morale of this team at a time when Super Bowl contention is relatively close.

As bad as Tomlin often is, just keep in mind: things could be a lot worse.