Steelers owner drops Mike Tomlin vote of confidence amid uncertain future
Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin got good news in a message from the team’s owner.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are reeling after a first-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that showed how far they still have to go in their chase for championship number seven.
Owner Art Rooney’s team has a lot of tough decisions to make this offseason, and whether or not to retain Coach Mike Tomlin is arguably the biggest. Recently it was revealed that the team is still weighing its options with running back Najee Harris.
An extension for Coach Mike Tomlin was also discussed recently.
Now that the offseason is almost in full swing, Rooney took time out to share his honest thoughts on Tomlin’s potential future with the team (plus a stern message regarding his expectations).
Rooney’s Offers Bold Take on Steelers, Tomlin’s Future
Rooney II succeeded his father Art in owning the Steelers. He’s been president of Pittsburgh’s NFL team since 2003 and has owned them since 2017.
In an article posted on Steelers.com, he shared his innermost thoughts on whether Tomlin still has what it takes to run the team next year and beyond.
“I think the players still respond to Mike. That’s No. 1,” said Rooney to the official Pittsburgh Steelers website.
“He still has the key characteristics that we saw when we hired him. He can keep the attention of a group of 20-year-olds for a whole season, keep them in the fight the whole way. Still feel good about Mike. Obviously if I didn’t, we’d make a change. If Mike wasn’t able to lead us to a championship, he wouldn’t be here. That’s why he’s here.”
Steelers’ Championship Drought
The Steelers have made the playoffs in 34 of their 89 seasons in the National Football League, with six titles to their name.
Despite their standing as an elite NFL franchise, they haven’t won a title since 2008, when Ben Roethlisberger and Tomlin led the way to a win over the Arizona Cardinals at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay.
Tomlin’s team has a long way to go in order to match the 2008 team, but Rooney sounds encouraged that the legendary coach has what it takes to get the job done.
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Ever since the Pittsburgh Steelers’ final game during this year’s Wild Card round, rumors surrounded the team regarding Mike Tomlin’s status as head coach. Tomlin, whose name has been synonymous with the team due to his decorated tenure in Pittsburgh, currently has one year left in his contract. Now, it seems that Steelers owner Art Rooney II has addressed questions surrounding the veteran coach. Speaking to the media, Rooney stated that he still “feels good” about Tomlin and hinted at a contract extension moving forward, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly.
Still, despite Rooney’s belief in Tomlin, the team owner made it clear that the Steelers have to start taking “the next steps” for playoff success. The last time Pittsburgh won a postseason outing was back in 2016.
Regardless, Mike Tomlin’s resume has shown that he’s a championship-caliber head coach. A Super Bowl title, coupled with two AFC championships and 11 playoff appearances still gives Tomlin an advantage experience-wise over many coaches in the league.
What the Steelers have to address moving forward
As for the team, one factor for more success in the upcoming season falls heavily on the team’s quarterbacks. Kenny Pickett, the Steelers’ 2022 draft pick, was a starter entering the season. After being sidelined for a couple of weeks due to ankle surgery, Pickett returned in Week 18 but was moved to the backup position behind Mason Rudolph. At the moment, there has been no clear decision from the team on who will be tasked to play lead skipper in 2024.
Additionally, the Steelers are still undergoing a search for an offensive coordinator after parting ways with Matt Canada mid-season. While there are still plenty of questions to be addressed moving forward, Steel City fans can only hope that the team finds answers as soon as possible to ensure that 2024 brings better results than those of previous years.
