It’s just the nature of things for Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers to endure a week of discussion revolving around the head coach’s job security, only to turn around and have one of their best performances against their top rival.
Of course, that one win won’t drown out the chatter completely. The next dismal outing, or loss, will bring those conversations back to the forefront.
Aaron Rodgers said after the Ravens game that hopefully we in the media will shut up about it for a week. Clearly, he didn’t get his wish.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin explains why the “hot seat” narrative doesn’t move him
Nonetheless, as Tomlin indicated in the aftermath of the loss to the Buffalo Bills, Tomlin reaffirmed in his Tuesday press conference that he wasn’t shaken by the fans’ calls for his firing.
“Man, I’ve been in the hot seat for 19 years,” Tomlin responded to a question about the feeling of being on the hot seat all of last week.
The Steelers' head coaching job does come with high expectations. Tomlin met those expectations early in his tenure, though not so much in recent years. This is where his winning-season streak usually comes into play in the conversation.
“I always feel like I’ve got something to prove,” Tomlin responded to a follow-up question about proving something to the fanbase. “Not necessarily to anyone in particular, but that’s just the spirit in which I go about what I do professionally.”
To his credit, Tomlin and the Steelers proved in Baltimore that their season isn’t dead yet. It’s impressive considering the ominous noise swirling about Tomlin’s future with the franchise.
After the Ravens game, DK Metcalf defended Tomlin after the week he endured.
"Coach T is a great leader for us, and he's done nothing but take the bullets for us,” Metcalf said after the Ravens game. Tomlin said on Tuesday that’s just part of his job.
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Of course, there’s still more to prove. Steelers fans didn’t grow restless with Tomlin overnight. The fans want to see a playoff win, and the current product has not proven that the Steelers are capable of doing so.
Tomlin may have theoretically been on the hot seat from Day 1, but there’s no denying the seat hasn’t gotten hotter in recent years, and steadily more so through the course of 2025.