The calls for Mike Tomlin to be fired have increased this week in the days following his sixth straight postseason loss. While there is the usual firestorm from many within Steeler Nation, there is a growing number of people also suggesting it’s time to move on who are a bit surprising.
One of Tomlin’s biggest supporters has been radio host and NFL Network host Rich Eisen. Often citing his leadership and culture building, Eisen has long supported Tomlin but even he has started to see things differently. A week ago, Eisen was singing Tomlin’s praises as many were but his tune changed following the loss to Baltimore.
One of Tomlin’s former players, Ryan Clark, has even started to question his former coach. Following the loss he suggested “it might be time to let Tomlin go.” Clark has since walked that back a bit telling fans “the Steelers should be cautious about moving away from him.” Clark’s indecisive approach is like many who love Mike Tomlin but also recognize that there is an unavoidable pattern of struggle.
Chris Simms of Pro Football Talk suggested the Steelers have to “do something drastic” in order to get back in the playoff win column and didn’t rule out Tomlin leaving. This echoes what many around the Pittsburgh Steelers’ media and local media in general have been saying. Mark Madden, the often controversial and polarizing Pittsburgh personality, called the Steelers’ organization “soft.”
He’s not wrong in my opinion. The consistently patient approach that the Steelers are often praised for having is not working and some see it as a sign of weakness rather than as a strength.
This isn’t the first season in which the demand for “drastic” measures has been prevalent but there’s no doubt the torches and pitchforks are greater in number and in there ferocity. I’m willing to bet that if you polled the fan base right now it would be somewhere in the area of 70% who are ready to move on from Tomlin. What people have to realize is that this has little to do with him as a person and is about him as a coach who isn’t getting it done when it matters.
The fans see it. The local media sees it and the national media sees it. Why can’t the Steelers see it?
