The Pittsburgh Steelers once-promising 4-1 start has unraveled into a state of desperation and panic after two straight losses. Now the issues could run deeper than we realized.
Coming into this season, this was supposed to be the team that finally made noise in the postseason. The front office went all in, signing future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, making the rare aggressive move to trade for DK Metcalf, and adding even more talent to what was already the league’s most expensive defense. On paper, it looked like the missing pieces were finally in place.
Two months later, that vision has fallen apart. What Mike Tomlin called a “historically great defense” has become historically bad, one of the worst units in franchise history. The Steelers now sit at 4-3, staring down a brutal two-game stretch with the hottest team in the NFL coming into Pittsburgh on Sunday, followed by a strong Chargers team right after.
Given how fast things have spiraled, there’s little reason for confidence. Just three weeks ago, Pittsburgh held a commanding lead in the AFC North. Now they’re on the brink of falling to 4-5, watching the division slip away.
If that happens, this season could finally expose the real problem — the one this franchise has ignored for far too long.
Even if the Pittsburgh Steelers fire Teryl Austin midseason, it wouldn't solve the deeper schematic problems
This Steelers defense is flat-out bad, one of the worst in the entire NFL. And for the highest-paid defense in the league, that makes it even more inexcusable.
If things don’t improve soon, yes, firing Teryl Austin midseason would make sense to send a message. But let’s be honest, he would just become another scapegoat for Mike Tomlin. For anyone still blaming the defensive coordinator, save your breath. This has always been Tomlin’s defense.
Ever since Dick LeBeau stepped down, it’s been the same scheme with the same problems — communication breakdowns, blown coverages, and a secondary that’s constantly out of position. The coordinator changed from Keith Butler to Austin, but the results haven’t. The system is the same because Tomlin is the one running it.
He’s the wizard behind the curtain, and if Austin ends up being fired, we’ll finally see what’s been clear all along. The scheme itself is broken beyond repair, at least for this season, but truthfully, it has been for a very long time.
If the defense keeps playing this poorly, ownership needs to wake up and see the bigger picture. For years, this defense has collapsed in the biggest moments. And when you’re paying top dollar for what’s supposed to be the backbone of the team, those failures fall squarely on the head coach. Tomlin’s calling card has always been defense, but lately that very side of the ball has been what’s losing them games.
Failing to win the division, missing the playoffs, or losing in the first round has to be the breaking point
The AFC North was practically gift-wrapped for the Steelers. The Ravens were sitting at 1-5, the Bengals have lost Joe Burrow for nearly the entire season, and the Browns are the Browns, one of the worst teams in the NFL. At 4-1, all the Steelers had to do was beat the Bengals, and the division could have been all but locked up.
Now, after losing two straight games and facing two of the top teams in the AFC, the Steelers are staring at a potential four-game slide in the middle of the season, precisely the time they were supposed to separate themselves while the rest of the division digs out of early-season holes. Now the Steelers will most likely stumble again against two of the top teams in the AFC.
This would be another collapse, the kind the Steelers have made almost routine. In seven straight seasons, they have endured three-game losing streaks. Last year, for example, Pittsburgh held a two-game lead in the AFC North with five games left, sitting at 10-3, only to lose four straight and the division. This season, that kind of meltdown could come even earlier, especially as the Ravens' schedule lightens and key players return.
Going into this season, Mike Tomlin had no more excuses. Eight years without a playoff win, a collapse last year, and another first-round blowout. He was given everything he asked for this year. A Hall of Fame quarterback to elevate the offense, a revamped secondary, and every piece he said he needed to finally get over the hump. On offense, the team has surprised, putting up 25 points per game. But the defense, Tomlin’s supposed strength, has failed spectacularly.
With all the money tied up in this defense, if they finish the season as one of the worst in the league, how can Tomlin keep his job? And if the Steelers suffer another three-game losing streak, lose another division title, or extend their playoff winless streak to nine straight years, when does it finally end?
There are simply no more excuses. Tomlin has been given every opportunity to fix this team, and this year they went all in to give him what he needed. If it continues to blow up in his face, especially on the side of the ball that is supposed to be his calling card, it raises a simple question: if he cannot make his defense work, what can he do well?
With a team in desperate need of its next franchise quarterback and a roster that should be stronger with each passing year, it is no longer a ridiculous thought to question his future. It has to be a serious conversation.