Despite the calls for Mike Tomlin's job from Pittsburgh Steelers fans ringing out at Acrisure Stadium to close November, those same fans begin the new year forced to hope. No well-intentioned fan hopes to lose in the postseason, no matter how much they might expect it.
And why wouldn’t they expect just that? Tomlin hasn’t led the Steelers to a postseason victory since January 8, 2017, a date that looms large nine years later. If the Steelers are one-and-done again, the sixth time since the Steelers last won a playoff game, the calls from Steelers Nation for Art Rooney II to finally make the call that Tyler Loop’s missed field goal last week saved him from making will ring out somewhere again.
The pain is that Rooney could have made that call last year, after the Steelers lost four straight before Derrick Henry bulldozed them in the playoffs. To the surprise of no one, though, Tomlin was retained after another embarrassing end to the season, setting fans up to watch it all happen again this season.
Maybe the Steelers wouldn’t be here without Tomlin. They certainly wouldn’t have Aaron Rodgers without Tomlin. And sure, the offense looks improved, and the defense has its moments. But why is there so little room for optimism in Pittsburgh?
It’s because Steelers fans have been here too many times before. Hope remains that this team can go on an all-time run, ending with the Lombardi Trophy hoisted high for the seventh time. But so too does the hope stand that if it ends as unceremoniously as it has too often before, Rooney will do the right thing and begin 2026 with a fresh start and a new head coach.
Art Rooney II can't hesitate to end fans' nightmare if Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers are embarrassed again
Credit where it's due, Tomlin got Pittsburgh back to the playoffs despite their many shortcomings. Still, Steelers fans find no comfort when they saw this exact scenario coming from a mile away, stumbling into the postseason and facing a young, hungry, talented team, hoping another embarrassing performance isn't around the corner.
How much more slack can Tomlin really have to absorb another embarrassing exit from the playoffs? There’s a difference between losing playoff games and losing playoff games the way the Steelers have the last five times they’ve been in this situation. If Pittsburgh loses a competitive game, then sure, there’s an argument to be made if anyone wants to carry that torch.
But Pittsburgh’s struggles in the postseason, particularly in the first quarter, have been well-documented. The Steelers have been outscored 73-0 in the first quarter of their last five playoff games. Add to that embarrassment, and surely it’ll be enough for Rooney to fire Tomlin.
Because what awaits Pittsburgh if he doesn’t? Another offseason of wondering if Rodgers will be the quarterback again? Another offseason of aggressive moves by Omar Khan that don’t live up to expectations once the season rolls around? Another season of nine or 10 wins and this same uneasy feeling heading into the Wild Card round? Steelers fans already feel trapped as it is. Any more of this never-ending cycle borders on torture.
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There are head coaches out there if Rooney is pushed over the edge and makes the right call. Brian Flores, Klint Kubiak, Jesse Minter, or heck, even Mike McCarthy would inspire more confidence than a 20th season under Mike Tomlin, barrelling toward a decade anniversary of their most recent playoff win.
Hopefully, should the Steelers be embarrassed again, Rooney recognizes that he has options. Some coaches would love to come to Pittsburgh and reignite the standard this franchise is known for. If it comes down to it, Rooney can save his franchise’s fanbase from enduring the recurring nightmare any longer.
Of course, in the meantime, fans can stick to the hope that Tomlin’s impeccable Monday night record can carry over to the postseason. Hopefully, Steelers fans can put this postseason curse behind them and carry a more optimistic view into the second half of January for the first time in a long time, no matter the outcome.