A 19-year run as NFL coach with the same team is nothing to sneeze at. To have never finished a season with a losing record, in a league that chews and spits out head coaches at a blinding rate makes one a legend of the game. It’s just too hard to close in the NFL not to respect this man’s unprecedented gangster.
Tomlin, the first notable benefactor of the Rooney Rule, was able to weather many storms. and he broke records and opened the floodgates for Black coaches with his stellar standing in Pittsburgh, win or lose. He’s now on the unemployment line after stepping down as head coach of the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers franchise.
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Mike Tomlin Had Record 19 Straight Non-Losing Seasons: Always Did More With Less
The kid from Hampton Roads, Virginia, home of Allen Iverson and Michael Vick (Newport News) was just the third head coach in the team’s illustrious history. He had a classic run which included a Super Bowl championship at the end of the 2008 season. As time progressed and then Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2022, that was really the beginning of the end in Steeltown for one of the all-time great leaders the game has seen. A laundry list of quarterbacks — the last being a gray-bearded and battered Aaron Rodgers — failed to be the franchise force Tomlin needed to make a real run.
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“Exactly. He always got his team to overachieve in the regular season where they made the playoffs when they really shouldn’t have been in the playoffs in the first place due to lack of talent and roster. They never got an early draft pick,” said one fan putting Tomlin’s impact into perspective.
It seemed that he could elevate his team to heights during the regular season, but when it came to facing the big dogs, the Steelers’ personnel weaknesses always got exposed. The 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans was the final straw. It was Tomlin’s seventh straight playoff loss, tying Marvin Lewis’ NFL record.
Mike Tomlin Refused To Tank
For all of his success, and until he settles at another spot and allows people to see his greatness from another perspective, Tomlin will be underrated.
The real story is that he led one of the NFL’s flagship franchises to 12 double-digit win seasons in 19 years. He never finished worse than 8-8. It’s almost an unfathomable accomplishment in this day and age. Doing it since basically 2021 without Big Ben and entering every season with the quarterback room in shambles only enhances Tomlin’s legacy.
Somehow, his refusal to tank seasons even though he didn’t have a franchise quarterback to make a real Super Bowl run, and miraculously and consistently still produced winning records and playoff appearances is the real story of Mike Tomlin. It’s also why he will have his pick of jobs when he’s ready to return to the sidelines. Taking a year to reconnect with family, hope in a booth and get his flowers, survey the field and handpick his next spot is probably the way to go right now.
NFL Fans React To Mike Tomlin Stepping Down As Head Coach Of Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers fans have been more than ready for Mike to go, so the reaction as more of a collective sigh of relief than anything else. Tomlin didn’t want to go into the offseason focused on a bunch of rumors, fans complaining about not winning another Super Bowl and void of a quarterback.
“This man gave 19 yrs of his life. And Steelers fans like F you kick rocks smh,” said one netizen to Steelers’ fans celebrating Tomlin’s departure.
“He really said you can’t fire me if I quit lol,” joked another.
“should’ve been left. Hope he goes somewhere with a QB, ain’t had a good one since 2017 Ben,” a third fan said.
“Mike Tomlin to the Dolphins??,” quipped a Miami Dolphins fan, who would love to be ensured a winning season before the campaign ever kicks off.
Some fans predict a long road ahead for the Steelers who will begin a rebuilding process. They also know Tomlin isn’t with tanking, so he’s walking.
“Steelers go 5-12 next season. Which actually might be the best thing that ever happened to them,” said one optimistic Steelers fan.
“As a Steelers fan I see that we have some rough years ahead. I am guessing this is why Tomlin stepped down. No way this team makes the payoffs next year,” a less optimistic fan added.
Mike Tomlin Saw The Writing On The Wall In Pittsburgh: Organization Isn’t Ready To Spend Money and Elevate
The Steelers didn’t fire Tomlin, but they gave him the respect of stepping down. Everything comes to an end. Steelers fans were increasingly vocal dating back a decade, about wanting a new voice in the locker room and a new face for the franchise. Tomlin never wavered, always went to work and always made sure that the franchise was respected and never taken for granted on the football field.
His football mentality, ability to lead men, ability to handle the press and keep his nose clean in his personal life, has made Mike Tomlin the model coach for the model NFL franchise.
At 53 years old, he can take a breather and then see where he wants to go. With several jobs still open across the league he could be getting a call any day now, or even have his next step lined up.
Steelers fans will finally get what they want. Let’s see if it’s better or worse than what Mike gave them for two decades.
