The Pittsburgh Steelers clawed their way into the NFL playoffs with a win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18, but the AFC North champions couldn’t break their postseason losing streak.
Now, the team is facing questions over the future of head coach Mike Tomlin.
Tomlin has seen some enduring success in Pittsburgh as he led the Steelers to an NFL record 19 consecutive seasons without a losing record. But Monday’s defeat to the Houston Texans was the team’s seventh straight playoff loss, a defeat that has some questioning whether it’s time for the Steelers to find a new head coach.
Steelers May Face Decision on Future
There had already been growing speculation about Tomlin’s future with the Steelers, and Monday’s loss exacerbated the talk. Trey Wingo questioned whether Pittsburgh could continue on the same path, which has brought some success but no true Super Bowl contention.
“The @steelers are about to lose their 7th straight playoff game..longest active playoff losing streak in the NFL,” Wingo shared in a post on X. “Theyâre about to lose their 3rd straight home playoff game.. a first in franchise history. Their offense was outscored by the @HoustonTexans defense, Can you bring Tomlin back?”
The Steelers will need to make a decision on the head coach’s future in the coming months. Tomlin’s contract is set to expire after 2026 unless the team exercises a 2027 option in March. The Athleticâs Mike Sando suggested that the franchise could learn from its past and the decision to keep Chuck Noll despite many years of struggling in the 1980s and 90s.
âThe Seattle Seahawks could become a model in this regard,â Sando wrote. âThey parted with Pete Carroll after a 14-season run featuring nine playoff victories, two Super Bowl appearances and one championship over his first seven seasons, but just one playoff win thereafter.â
Steelers Could Have an Option From the College Ranks
While the Steelers have shown no signs that they want to move on from Tomlin, they could be quietly planning for the future. The Athleticâs Dianna Russini reported that the team has already discussed the idea of hiring Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, who could be ready to take an NFL job after this season.
âNotre Dame coach Marcus Freeman seriously considered making the jump to the NFL, with multiple teams reaching out to gauge his interest, according to league sources,â Russini reported. âThough Freeman ultimately announced heâs staying at Notre Dame, thereâs a strong belief around the league that this wonât be the last time his name is connected to NFL opportunities. The Giants, Titans and Browns all had internal discussions about Freeman, as did the Pittsburgh Steelers (in the event longtime coach Mike Tomlin decided to step away).â
While the Steelers will need to decide on Tomlin’s future as his contract option deadline approaches, the team is also waiting for future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers to decide if he’s coming back for another NFL season. Rodgers has hinted at retirement, but stopped short of saying whether he plans to hang up his cleats.
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