Mike Tomlin has quickly become one of the most divisive members of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise ever. For the longest time, fans have seemed split on whether he truly has the qualities of a great coach.
Defenders are quick to point out his long and impressive record of never having a losing season as a positive. Detractors focus on his lack of postseason success as the key reason for wanting a change.
According to Adam Schefter, we might just see that after Sunday’s game against the Ravens.
On the Pat McAfee show, Schefter said that he wouldn’t shocked if the loser of the Steelers Ravens game will see their head coach depart. For fans that have wanted Tomlin gone for a while, this would be a dream come true.
When you look at the overall larger picture, though, this would be a nightmare. Win or lose, Tomlin leaving after this season would be a tough pill to swallow.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can’t lose Mike Tomlin in 2026
While I am no defender of Tomlin, and I recognize the need for change coming, 2026 is a weird spot to make a coaching change.
The current roster is an older one, featuring names like Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Jalen Ramsey. A new coach would either have to adjust on the fly and get this team in a position to win right away (no small feat even if the quarterback room was sorted out) or cut bait with these stalwarts and hit the reset button.
This could cause the new regime to make some rash choices. Perhaps you overdraft a quarterback because you feel like you have to. We all saw how that turned out just a few seasons ago.
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Alternatively, you cut ties with some franchise legends at the end of their careers, adding a bitter asterisk to their careers. We all know how awkward it is to see photos of Franco Harris playing for Seattle.
Beyond just the roster issues, the crop of coaching candidates is lackluster. We don’t have the can’t miss names from a season ago. The top name, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, just reupped with the Fighting Irish and won’t be leaving any time soon.
You can take a complete shot at an unknown or go with someone who has previous head coaching experience. Neither option feels great at this moment.
Honestly, if Tomlin were to depart, it feels like Arthur Smith would have the inside track at the job. I’m not sure that is a true upgrade for this team.
While I embrace the idea of change and recognize that Tomlin has underwhelmed as of late, his cutting and running after the Baltimore game doesn’t feel like the right time.
A new coach would either have to stick with this elderly roster or make some really tough choices on current players. Add in the lack of great candidates, and I, for one, am hoping to see another year of Tomlin at the helm, even though I know the negatives that will come with him in 2026.