What Are The Actual Expectations For Mike Tomlin?
Credit: Michael Longo / For USA Today Network
For the last 17 seasons, Mike Tomlin has roamed the sidelines of the Pittsburgh Steelers as head coach. While he has achieved an enormous amount of success, the last seven seasons have not been what Steeler fans are used to.
Tomlin was headed into the last year of his deal, and many thought the Rooneys were going to force Tomlin to show real progress to get an extension. All that changed last week when the 17-year head coach received a three-year extension through 2027. So as it sits, stability appears to reign in Pittsburgh.
While everything on the South Side appears to be hunky dory, there is still an underlying unrest with the Black and Gold. No playoff wins in the past seven seasons have fans looking past the fact that Tomlin has never had a losing season. If “the standard is the standard,” then this playoff-win drought is unacceptable. Especially during the last two appearances, when Pittsburgh basically had no shot to win on the road with their lackluster offense. While Tomlin is a defensive-minded coach, the Matt Canada debacle is something he is directly responsible for.
With all that in mind, the Rooney’s did give him the extension, so they still trust Tomlin with their franchise. With the help of general manager Omar Khan, the Steelers have been flipping the roster in an attempt to change their fortunes in the postseason. In most critics and fans’ eyes, Tomlin will need to have a good showing in the postseason to stay in the position, even with the contract extension. So we have to ask: What are the expectations for the Steelers head coach?
As previously mentioned, playoff success is a must. But more than that, there needs to be hope. In both 2021 and 2023, the Steelers were simply out-classed in every way by their opponent. In the 2021 contest in Kansas City, they literally ran out of fireworks that they set off in Arrowhead Stadium after every touchdown. It was ugly. While they played better in Buffalo last season, the Bills were never threatened by the team from the Steel City. That has to change this season.
The offense must return to a relevant unit that can consistently put up points. Under Canada, the Steelers were in offensive purgatory. No imagination. Their tendencies were easily figured out. The formations and plays had zero flow. It was a mess. Tomlin hired him and stuck with him. With the addition of new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the offense has to succeed. Tomlin’s job depends on it.
The team’s discipline must also be improved. Too many times, players lost their composure and it has cost Pittsburgh on the field. The head coach is responsible for that. Tomlin says the right things at his press conferences, but some of the lessons he’s tried to impart have not been absorbed by everyone in the locker room. He has to be better at that.
Lastly, the defense as a whole needs to get back to being the dominant unit it has been in years past. Yes, Teryl Austin is the defensive coordinator, but let’s not kid ourselves: Tomlin has his hands all over this defense. Until last season, he still made a lot of the in-game play calls for the defense. While it’s been serviceable, it hasn’t been a unit you could count on to slow down premier offenses consistently. For the Steelers to achieve the success that they want to have, they will need to lean on their defense most of all.
So this is still a make-or-break season for Tomlin. Regardless of the extension, Pittsburgh can’t fall flat, and the status quo will not be good enough. Not with the talent that this roster has. Tomlin understands that and has made the necessary changes to set him up for success. The Steelers are facing a very difficult schedule this year, but Tomlin has a chance to prove once again that there isn’t a coach who’s better equipped to manage a challenging season.
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