Steelers Need to Cut Tomlin’s Control to Revive Their Struggling Offense
The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost four of their last six games, which also means they no longer have total control of a weak AFC North. They are now tied with the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the division, with the Purple and Black having the edge via tiebreaker for now. Many fans have been getting very angry about the idea that the 2025 season will likely end the same way it has for the previous eight: a record above .500, but no playoff wins to make it worth anything.
At this point, fans want accountability, and that showed throughout Gerry Dulac's weekly Q&A chat, with upset fans demanding anything but the routine season. One fan even asked if ownership would take some of the controls away from Head Coach Mike Tomlin if the season ends the same way. He responded with a hopeful answer for the fans.
"Something will definitely have to give," Dulac said. "How long can they tolerate watching the same ol' thing?"
Of course, the coordinators call the plays, but Tomlin dictates the scheme and gameplan for both sides of the ball. After the Steelers' Week 12 loss, everyone from fans, analysts, and even players took shots at the schematics of the team. It is very evident that something is concerning behind the scenes.
Owner Art Rooney II has voiced his frustrations a number of times, and he has even been accused of enabling Tomlin's rough decisions. As they say, "actions speak louder than words," and the actions of ownership will show how he really feels. If the team president truly is frustrated, then Dulac is right: something will have to give. This seemingly endless cycle of mediocrity has to have an end at some point.
As reports have stated numerous times, Rooney will not fire Tomlin. At this point, that is entirely out of the question. However, it has become very clear that many of the problems on the team point directly to the head coach, and he has not been able to fix those problems on a consistent basis. That means ownership will have to step in and do something to try and steer this ship in the right direction for 2026 and beyond.
Steelers Seemingly Need Tomlin To Be Less Involved Like He Used To Be
One of those options, as the fan in Dulac's chat mentioned, is taking away Tomlin's control of the "scheme and philosophy." The best option might be to let the coordinators run what they want to do without the head coach meddling and restricting them. Many argue that X's and O's have never been Tomlin's strong suit.
With Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin's contract expiring at the end of the 2025 campaign, odds are he will be let go after the season. What Tomlin truly needs is a strong mind that brings in an adaptable scheme to work with what the players want. That will help this expensive defense play up to its potential.
On the other side, Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith is recognized as one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL, and Tomlin is a defensive coach. That's why limiting him does not make much sense. If Smith wants to push the ball downfield and use the middle of the field as well, Tomlin should not step in and tell him no. Let the offensive coach run the offense. It's been said that avoiding the middle of the field limits turnovers, but how much is avoiding the middle of the field limiting the offense as a whole?
Mike Tomlin Faces Ultimate Test As Steelers Struggle to Stay Relevant
The Pittsburgh Steelers have once again found themselves starting hot in a season and fading as the year progresses. The 2025 offseason was one of the most ambitious in recent franchise history, with Pittsburgh going all-in to acquire 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers in hopes of finally pushing the team back into true contender status. However, now sitting at 6-5, the Steelers have officially lost their lead in the AFC North, and what once looked like a promising campaign has quickly turned into a season that desperately needs saving.
With the year slipping away, conversations about longtime Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin have already begun to swirl. For years, many Steelers fans have believed there was no realistic scenario in which Tomlin would ever be fired. It’s been a longstanding debate within the national media that Tomlin is actually a great head coach, but many Steelers fans disagree and believe his message has grown stale. Most of those fans also don’t think Art Rooney II would ever fire Tomlin, no matter how frustrated the fanbase becomes.
However, NFL insider Albert Breer revealed on Wednesday that the Steelers are certainly open to having some brutal, uncomfortable discussions with Tomlin depending on how the 2025 season ends. It’s a rare acknowledgment from within league circles that even in a famously stable organization, patience may finally be wearing thin.
"I think it is gonna take having some real hard discussions on where they're at, on where Mike Tomlin's at, on how everyone feels about the position that they're in," Breer said on the
Sports Illustrated's YouTube channel after he was asked about Tomlin's future.
Of course, everything could still change. Tomlin has pulled off late-season turnarounds before, and a deep playoff run would erase much of the growing tension and immediately reshape public conversation.
However, until that happens, the reality remains: the Steelers have not won a playoff game since the 2016 season. For a franchise defined by excellence and postseason success, that drought looms larger than ever as Pittsburgh fights to salvage what was supposed to be its breakthrough year.
"There's no question that if Mike Tomlin became available, he would not last very long in the coaching market," Breer said. "Somebody would swoop in and snap him up. So this isn't about his value as a coach. It's about the situation that everybody's in."
Breer pointed out that Tomlin is still viewed around the league as an extremely exceptional head coach and leader capable of turning a franchise around. It seems similar to what Andy Reid had to go through with the Philadelphia Eagles, as sometimes a new face is needed.
Steelers May Finally Be Ready To Move On From Mike Tomlin
In Reid’s case, it ended up working out for both the Eagles and for him personally when he moved to the Kansas City Chiefs. All parties won Super Bowls and experienced many meaningful victories. That is the path many suggest Tomlin should consider, not just for the Steelers, but for himself.
Whatever has been tried so far has not worked in the minds of many fans. Still, in the NFL, it is never over, and Tomlin is not giving up. He is preparing to find a way to get his team to pull off an upset win in Week 13 at home against the Buffalo Bills. If Pittsburgh can sneak out of Acrisure Stadium with a win over Josh Allen, it would certainly change the outlook on the 2025 season. A loss, however, would continue this discussion and only amplify it.
