4 changes Mike Tomlin must make if he remains the Steelers head coach
If Mike Tomlin and the Steelers are going to continue together beyond 2023, some major changes need to take place to right the ship before it sinks for good.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Tomlin are approaching a critical crossroads. Media and fans alike are beginning to question Mike Tomlin more than ever before.
In week 13, the Steelers were sitting at 7-4 with back-to-back games at home against the 2-win Cardinals and Patriots before a road test against the Colts. At that time, it was expected they would be 9-4 going into the Colts game and, instead, they ended up losing three straight to drop to 7-7.
The losing streak caused many to question their confidence in Mike Tomlin more than any other time in his tenure to date. His future has never been as up in the air as it is today.
There are many things Tomlin will need to do if he does survive the offseason and coaches the team again in 2024. It will be a very important offseason for the Steelers, and even more so for Tomlin if he is given another season.
1. Steelers staff overhaul is a must
The end of 2022 showed most people all they needed to see from Matt Canada to know that he needed to be relieved of his duties. However, Mike Tomlin kept him on for 2023 and Art Rooney II seemed to agree with the decision, citing the improvement down the stretch and a 7-2 finish to the season.
The offense did look somewhat better in that stretch, especially in the run game and Kenny's ability to take care of the football. Regardless, almost every fan and media member alike agreed that it was not enough after looking at the offense's total body of work since he was promoted in 2021.
The team already started an overhaul process by firing Matt Canada, the first time the Steelers have made a midseason change in quite some time. The rest of the staff should meet a similar fate this offseason.
The coaching has been subpar all season long with communication issues and basic procedural issues showing up late into the season. Things that should be taken care of in training camp or early in the season are still happening and that is a reflection on the coaching.
Given that Mike Tomlin isn't even as safe as he has been in his time here, there is not a single coach or assistant on staff that should without a doubt be back in 2024. The staff has been stale for a while and, if Tomlin is kept, a better staff should be priority number one to right the ship.