After the Pittsburgh Steelers took a 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, fans inside Acrisure Stadium made their frustrations loud and clear. A chorus of boos — followed by “Fire Tomlin” chants — broke out across the stands. Mike Tomlin didn’t try to deflect the criticism.
“In general, I agree with them,” Tomlin said on December 4. “And from this perspective, football is our game. We’re in the sport entertainment business. And so, if you root for the Steelers, entertaining them is winning. And so when you’re not winning, it’s not entertaining. And if you’ve been in this business, you understand that. And so I respect it. I share frustrations. I understand what makes this thing go, and winning is what makes this.”
With the loss to Buffalo, the Steelers fell to 6-6 but remain tied for first in the AFC North. Still, Tomlin — now in his 19th season — has hovered around mediocrity for several years despite never finishing with a losing record. Pittsburgh hasn’t won the division since 2020 and is 50-33 in that span, making the playoffs four of the last five years but losing in the Wild Card round each time.
While the Steelers are known for their loyalty to head coaches, Tomlin’s future may depend on how the final weeks of the season unfold. Former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger believes the partnership may be nearing its end — but says it should happen respectfully.
Ben Roethlisberger Believes It’s Time for Steelers and Mike Tomlin to Part Ways
Roethlisberger, who spent 15 of his 18 NFL seasons playing for Tomlin, said on his podcast that the franchise should strongly consider a fresh start. But he emphasized that Tomlin has earned far more than an abrupt firing.
“Here’s what you don’t do: You don’t fire a guy like Coach Tomlin,” Roethlisberger said. “He’s a Hall of Fame head coach, he’s respected. What you do is you come to an understanding and agreement, and it’s like, ‘Hey, listen, I think it’s probably best for both of us.’”
Tomlin is part of 57 years of rare stability within the Steelers organization, following the legendary tenures of Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher, whom he replaced in 2007.
“You go, ‘Hey, coach, listen, it’s probably best for all parties involved, let’s start over.’ It happened with Chuck Noll, it happened with Coach Cowher,” Roethlisberger said. “Coach Tomlin’s been here a long time. You’d give him a statue, whatever you’ve got to do, because he deserves it, he’s earned it. But it’s time to find that next guy. Who’s that next guy that could be here for the next 20 years?”
Ben Roethlisberger Says Penn State Could Be Perfect Fit for Mike Tomlin
Roethlisberger didn’t just float the idea of Tomlin leaving Pittsburgh — he mentioned a specific landing spot he believes would suit him perfectly: Penn State.
“Maybe a fresh start for him is what’s best,” Roethlisberger said. “Whether that’s in the pros, maybe go be Penn State’s head coach. You know what he would do in Penn State? He would probably go win national championships. Because he’s a great recruiter.”
As of December 3, Penn State still has not named a replacement for James Franklin, who was fired midseason. Options are thinning out after multiple candidates, including BYU’s Kalani Sitake, opted to remain at their current programs.
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