Mike Tomlin is taking more criticism this offseason than at any point during his nearly two-decade tenure as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Following another early exit from the playoffs back in January, the Steelers continued their eight-year drought without a postseason win. A former long-time NFL starter is blaming it on Tomlin's deteriorating culture in Pittsburgh.
On Wednesday, Chris Canty spoke on ESPN's Unsportsmanlike where he talked about the crumbling Steelers culture under the direction of Tomlin in recent years.
"The last decade and a half, they have exactly one more playoff win than the New York Jets, so this whole culture around the Pittsburgh Steelers, it's been methodically deteriorating before our eyes," Canty explained. "Mike Tomlin has been putting lipstick on a pig in terms of making them seem more credible than they actually are. Mike Tomlin has been the ultimate deodorant for the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise."
Canty wasn't finished with his rant. He shifted the focus to owner and team president Art Rooney II, claiming that he's not his father when it comes to winning.
"Let's be clear about another thing. Art Rooney II, Dan Rooney, he is not," Canty continued. "The proof is in the record. You aren't what we grew up on. You are no longer that. And the proof is waiting days before minicamp for a quarterback that may or may not wanna be part of your program."
Canty, an 11-year NFL player, spent multiple years on the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Baltimore Ravens from 2005 to 2015. This included a Super Bowl victory with the Giants in 2011. His final three seasons came with the Ravens from 2013 to 2015, back when the Pittsburgh Steelers had a peak offense. Looking at this storied franchise now, Canty sees a whole different culture.
Mike Tomlin is a major part of the problem with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin put together a Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but there comes a time when every great head coach has overstayed their welcome. That time came and passed a few years back for Tomlin.
Though Tomlin excels at getting his team to play up to their competition at times, his flawed philosophy doesn't work against good teams in the postseason. Playing mistake-free football and making every effort to minimize risk while relying on turnovers from your defense will only get you so far.
While Canty mentioned that Tomlin has been 'putting lipstick on a pig', he failed to mention that Tomlin is the one who purchased that proverbial pig with his actions over the years. The Steelers' head coach is responsible for hiring his coaching staff—a staff that has included coordinators like Matt Canada, Randy Fichtner, Arthur Smith, and Teryl Austin in recent years.
Tomlin also has a heavy hand in the front office when it comes to free agent signings and draft decisions. His infatuation with certain players suggests his input is strong in bringing guys he likes to Pittsburgh, and he always seems to circle back to pre-draft love interests when they hit free agency or are available for trade.
During the offseason, Brooke Pryor of ESPN joined Dave Dameshek on the Shek Show, where the beat reporter blamed Tomlin for being the 'root of all these problems,' while bringing to the surface his unchecked power.
As long as Tomlin remains the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, we can't expect that to suddenly change. This team once had an unmatched culture, but fans, analysts, media members, and former players can all see that this has gone by the wayside in recent years.