Mike Tomlin not entirely responsible for the Steelers 9-8 record in 2022

The Steelers had two separate seasons in 2022

In the first half of the season, the opponents the Steelers faced finished the season with a combined record of 78-56. In that span of games, the Steelers had a 2-6 record. Then after the by week, the Steelers went 7-2, and the record of the opponents they faced was 60-74. Hence the opponents they faced were much worse than the ones they played in the first eight games.

Certainly, that accounts for a large part of their success in the latter half of the season. One can also say the Steelers lost T.J. Watt in that span of games. Losing him hurt. Yet, if the Steelers success after the bye week is the return of Watt, then he got the Steelers a 9-8 season, not Tomlin. Considering Kenny Pickett did have to engineer some 4th quarter comebacks, you cant give Watt all the credit.

Perhaps you can credit Najee Harris, or it could be the victimized defenses that could not play the run as well. However, despite its problems, the offensive line played much better down the stretch than it did through the bye week, which might have played a role.

Regarding coaching, we know Tomlin is a good motivator, and players always respond well, which is why he has always been successful. It certainly didn’t do much early in the season. Perhaps it helped later in the year as they won, but they played weaker teams. Of course, if you want to credit Tomlin, he did insist Matt Canada modify the playbook supposedly. Making it more simplistic, allowing the offense to execute better. Assuming there is truth to that, then ok, in that sense, his coaching may have worked, allowing the Steelers to have some late-season success.