Steelers' Mike Tomlin Could Be Sabotaging Himself By Making One Big Mistake

Head Coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers made history when he became the longest tenured head coach of any sports team in the major four leagues in North America. The milestone has caused many to reflect on Tomlin's history with the Steelers, which started in 2007. Although Tomlin has many accolades to his name, the Steelers have found themselves in a cycle of making the playoffs, but being eliminated in the first round. For the Steelers to break the cycle, Tomlin may need to switch up his coaching style, but is it likely this late in his career?

On Friday, radio host Chris Mueller spoke on 93.7 The Fan about Tomlin's evolution as a coach. Mueller argued that Tomlin hasn't done enough to adapt as the NFL changes around him, and it may be costing the Steelers. 

"That would be my biggest complaint," said Mueller. "I think he's been adaptable in the draft, but I don't know if he's adaptable enough on gameday. I don't ever feel he's been able to make this big leap that even John Harbaugh managed to make to some extent on gameday. Just the way he (Tomlin) goes about coaching in games. Some of the c**p that he's been criticized for, and sometimes deservedly, things like just playing not to lose, very curious punting decisions. This situational decision-making from him, I don't really see changes from him on these things, almost 20 years in now."

Tomlin has had an undeniably impressive tenure in Pittsburgh. The head coach has never had a losing record and has multiple Super Bowl appearances under his belt. However, an unfortunate ending to his career in Pittsburgh could risk spoiling his legacy. 

Mueller mentions some of Tomlin's attempts to be aggressive on offense, when the head coach would regularly try for two extra points after scoring. It could have been an attempt by Tomlin to pioneer a new style of offense in the NFL. However, Mueller mentioned how Tomlin went back on this strategy quickly and argues that it could have caused him to regress as a coach.

"Where it's relevant for me, you can either be a trendsetter, which I don't think he (Tomlin) will ever be; I don't think he's ever going to be at the front of the line for schematic stuff because I've never read him to be a super intricate schemes guy," said Mueller. "He's a, 'My guys are better than yours and my schemes, when they're playing it, are good enough to beat yours.' Just, 'My best guys are going to beat your best guys' is always how I've read him."

Whatever Tomlin's strategy has been through the years, it has always brought him a considerable amount of success. Unfortunately, the Steelers have been unable to win a playoff game in recent years, however.

Tomlin may need to switch up his coaching strategy if something is going to change. Unless, as Mueller says, the head coach can get enough star players on his team that they will be able to simply outclass their opponents through pure skill.

Steelers' Next Three Seasons Will Be Major For Tomlin

Tomlin recently signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him in Pittsburgh through 2027. While the Steelers have struggled to find stability since the departure of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Tomlin will have an opportunity to continue to build the team into a contender that can make a deep playoff run. 

If Tomlin fails to win in the Wild Card Round again, or even misses the playoffs entirely in the next three seasons, he will undeniably be in the hot seat. In the event that Tomlin doesn't meet expectations, it isn't clear whether he would willingly move on from Pittsburgh, or Art Rooney II would be the one to want Tomlin to leave Pittsburgh.