Steelers Owner Growing Frustrated With Mike Tomlin
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the midst of a two-game losing streak and their NFL's highest-paid defense is the biggest contributor to it. But it's not just their recent struggles that everyone is focused on, it's the lack of success for the last decade, and apparently, more than just the fans are growing frustrated.
The Steelers ended last season on a five-game losing streak that resulted in a first-round playoff exit in a 28-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. As the team went into the offseason, the message from head coach Mike Tomlin, general manager Omar Khan and team President Art Rooney II was all the same. They were frustrated and knew things needed to change.
At the beginning of the season, it looked like things were starting to. The Steelers started 4-1 with solid performances on both sides of the ball, and the offense was clicking behind Aaron Rodgers.
On the defensive side of the ball, the star-studded group of Jalen Ramsey, T.J. Watt and company were on fire.
But since then, the team has allowed over 30 points in back-to-back games and has fallen twice. They've allowed over 30 points in four of their seven outings this season.
Ownership is Now Growing Tired
In yet another downward spiral, it appears Rooney isn't pleased. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac, there's a growing sense of frustration with the team's owner and their head coach's lack of success in recent years.
"Hello Gerry," a reader asked Dulac during his weekly chat. "Are you under the impression that Art Rooney II is angry with Coach Tomlin over the lack of playoff wins in the last decade. Or getting so little out of the highest paid defense in the NFL?”
"Angry is not the word,” Dulac replied. “Frustrated or impatient would be a better choice."
This doesn't mean the Steelers are moving on from Tomlin anytime soon. They just signed him to an extension over the offseason and are likely going to ride that contract out before making any major changes.
But it does feel like another poor ending to the season could put Tomlin on the hot seat for the first time in his career.
It's been eight years since the Steelers have won a playoff game, and at this point, it's a distain from fans about the team not having a losing season under Tomlin, but not being able to produce in the postseason.
Again, Rooney isn't going to make any rash decisions on Tomlin after 19 years together, and there's still plenty of season to go for the Steelers to turn things back around. If the ship sinks in 2025, though, it may be the beginning of the end, and Tomlin's clock may start ticking on how much time he has left to prove himself.
Kansas City Chiefs elevate RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire from the practice squad
The Kansas City Chiefs enter their Week 9 matchup with the Buffalo Bills without their starting running back, Isiah Pacheco, due to injury. The absence of Pacheco may have prompted the decision to call up a former first-round pick from the practice squad.
According to the team transaction report, Kansas City has activated Practice Squad players running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and offensive lineman C.J. Hanson via Standard Elevation on Saturday.
Edwards-Helaire was selected by Kansas City in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Louisiana State University, where he was a CFP National Champion in 2019. The former Tiger won two Super Bowls in four years with the Chiefs and was the opening week starting running back during his rookie season.
The veteran running back started the 2024 season in Kansas City on the NFL's Reserve/Non-Football Injury list, but was battling PTSD and was not being utilized by the Chiefs. He was released later in the year and picked up by the New Orleans Saints, from whom he was recently let go after this year's preseason.
Edwards-Helaire has accumulated 1,891 career rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns as he looks for more success in Kansas City for the second time around.
