After 19 historic years captaining the Steel Curtain, Mike Tomlin is stepping down as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As first shared by Adam Schefter, Pittsburgh will now be looking for only their fourth head coach since 1969.
Tomlin, who never posted a season below .500, leaves the franchise boasting a 193-114-2 record (.628-win percentage) in the regular season while compiling eight wins & twelve losses in the post season tournament with his latest trip resulting in a 30-6 demolition at the hands of the Houston Texans. One of those wins was against the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
While praised by peers & players alike for the culture he has established & the stabilizing ability he’s brought to the table year in & year out, it has been a bit of tough sledding in the post season since that championship victory back in the 08-09′ season.
Mike would return to the dance in Super Bowl XLV, losing to the Green Bay Packers & the QB he signed to lead his team in this most recent season, Aaron Rodgers. Since then, Tomlin has found playoff success to be quite elusive. In that span he’s been to one AFC championship while only making it past the wild card round three times in ten trips. In that timeframe he & the team compiled a 3-10 record despite fielding some of the most explosive offenses of the 2010s & routinely showing up with a stout defense in tow.
With no playoff victories since 2016, the murmurs had slowly begun echoing throughout fanbases & the media: Should Tomlin continue coaching the Steelers? Can you still win when it matters most with him as your coach?
Well, I guess we have our answer.
After further cementing his legacy in the annals of NFL history by beginning his career with the longest streak of winning seasons, Mike Tomlin rides off into the sunset as one of, if not THE, greatest Pittsburgh Steelers coaches & one of the greatest to do it.
Important to mention, however, is the fact that he indeed was not fired. Pittsburgh will retain his rights while he presumably takes a year off, becoming an eventual trade candidate a la Sean Payton upon his return.
We here at Blitz Sports Media salute you & wish all the best in what is to come.
