Steelers' Continued Employment Of Mike Tomlin In 2024 Openly Criticized In Absurd Rant

The Pittsburgh Steelers have only played one regular season game in 17 seasons under Mike Tomlin that they have been mathematically eliminated from the AFC Playoff picture. They are, however, currently on a five-game playoff losing streak. Fans might be justifiably tired of the non-losing seasons trope that surrounds Tomlin, but always being in the mix for a playoff spot for virtually his entire coaching career is a fantastic accomplishment. 

On Wednesday, John Middlekauff released his newest Three And Out podcast episode. Middlekauff often appears as an NFL "expert" on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports. He will never pass for a Steelers homer, but his takes on Pittsburgh have become increasingly bizarre. Middlekauff decided this week to suggest that Pittsburgh should not still be in the Tomlin business in response to a listener question about the Steelers' Super Bowl hopes in 2024. 

"I thought they should have moved on from Tomlin last year," Middlekauff said. "It's time for a new start. Sometimes you just need a restart, not every breakup is acrimonious, some awful divorce. Sometimes it's just time to go our separate ways."

The case to move on from Tomlin became impossible for Mike Greenberg, Rich Eisen, Mike Florio, and many other media figures who dismissed the idea out of hand over the last few seasons to ignore in 2023. It was the sixth consecutive season with a three-game losing streak. The 2023 streak nearly sank the Steelers' playoff hopes with a pair of losses to the woeful Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots. Only a miracle stretch by Mason Rudolph saved the season and secured the seventh seed in the AFC playoffs. 

Middlekauff does not think much of Omar Khan's offseason moves to improve the roster, either. He openly questioned the effectiveness of the moves and hinted that fans with high expectations are diluting themselves and would be disappointed with the 2024 results on the field.

"This year is going to be much more polarizing because you add Russell Wilson, you add Justin Fields," Middlekauff observed. "If you have the same outcome as last year, it's going to feel even worse. Yeah, of course, didn't go anywhere with Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, no *#$%. This one's going to feel fair or not, your high end and your ceiling should be a little higher. I don't know if it is. I think the Steelers are in a little trouble. They are not going to be terrible, but I kind of view them as the same as they have been: nine or 10 wins and a one-and-done playoff team." 

It is hard to envision a more complete overhaul of the Steelers without dismantling the defensive core. Khan released, traded, or declined to sign the entire 2022-2023 quarterback room. He handed out the biggest free agent contract in the organization's history to Patrick Queen and traded an unhappy wide receiver for a starting cornerback. Should fans expect better in 2024? Yes. Will they get it? Maybe, but if not, it won't be because of a lack of trying something new. 

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Took More Heat For Results In 2023, But Deserves Another Chance With Critical Fan Base

Tomlin deserves criticism for how the team has been coached over the last seven seasons, but Middlekauff is off base with his reasoning. His clock management, coaching staff hires, and personnel utilization have all been questionable at times. Tomlin promised change after the Steelers lost their fifth consecutive playoff game 31-17 to the Buffalo Bills. He has delivered with the lightning-fast hiring of Arthur Smith, a respected NFL offensive mind who closely mirrors the style of football Tomlin is comfortable with. 

He played a crucial role in recruiting Russell Wilson and has been cited by multiple sources as the best possible coach to get Justin Fields' career back on track after mixed results with the Chicago Bears. Tomlin has finished at or near the top of many NFLPA surveys as the coach that players would most like to play for, and Khan did a masterful job exploiting that during the Wilson negotiations. 

A lot has to happen in 2024 to turn many in the fan base around on Tomlin. The important thing to remember is that he has made a sincere effort to make changes. Hiring an outside offensive coordinator and new quarterback coach is a meaningful concession that could produce tangible results. At the very least, it should be enough to convince the harshest Tomlin critics to wait and see how the upcoming season unfolds.