The Steelers made a move that is sure to be met with controversy. On Monday, June 10, the team inked head coach Mike Tomlin to a three-year contract extension that will keep him in Pittsburgh until at least the 2027 season.
Tomlin has been the head coach of the Steelers for 17 years dating back to 2007. He has an astounding record of 173-100-2 since taking over the team. This also came with two Super Bowl appearances and one Lombardi Trophy.
Despite his impressive resume, Steelers fans are already divided over this decision.
Nobody doubts Mike Tomlin's past success leading this team -- it's the present that fans are worried about. The Steelers have not won a single playoff game in seven years. Since 2018, they have only entered the postseason three times, and on each occasion, they have lost in the Wild Card round by multiple scores.
Steelers fans have reason to walk both sides of the fence with Mike Tomlin
When it comes to Mike Tomlin, there's a case to be made for his extension, just like there's a case to be made to move on. It's easy to see how different groups of Steelers fans can come to two very different conclusions.
The case for Tomlin to stay is easy. Look at his past successes.
As the mainstream media loves to point out, you don't fire a head coach with as much as Mike Tomlin has accomplished. The combination of his record, longevity, and stability is enough for any team to covet, and players love playing for him. And, of course, we can't forget about the fact that he's never had a losing season since taking over as head coach in 2007.
The other side of the argument might be less popular, but no less credible. It's really simple: this team hasn't had any sort of noteworthy success in over a decade. Two of the team's three most recent playoff wins have come against backup quarterbacks A.J. McCarron and Matt Moore.
Over the past 12 years, the Steelers have recorded just 3 playoff wins -- a detestable number that would have had many other head coaches fired.
Mike Tomlin always keeps the Steelers competitive in the regular season. This is arguably his greatest trait. But there's no question Art Rooney II has given him an extended grace period to pull things together that not every HC gets.
Tomlin was previously under contract for the 2024 season. The Pittsburgh Steelers could have let him play out the season and see if he could have snapped a cringeworthy drought without a playoff win. Instead, Tomlin is sticking around until at least 2027.
This future Hall of Fame head coach is now a polarizing figure among the fanbase, and his presence on the team for the foreseeable future will continue to drive a wedge among Steelers fans.