Art Rooney has no choice but to stay true to the promise he gave Steelers fans just months ago
The Pittsburgh Steelers are the gold standard of the National Football League. Or at least, they used to be. But after a loss to the Baltimore Ravens and another first-round exit, it may be time for Steelers owner Art Rooney to find his next Mike Tomlin… Art Rooney needs to keep his championship promise by […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers are the gold standard of the National Football League.
Or at least, they used to be.
But after a loss to the Baltimore Ravens and another first-round exit, it may be time for Steelers owner Art Rooney to find his next Mike Tomlin…
Art Rooney needs to keep his championship promise by trading Mike Tomlin
"Certainly, there's a resolve there and a determination there," Rooney said of Mike Tomlin when asked about the need to win a playoff game last summer. "And I think I said before, I think all of us that have been around for a little while are anxious to take this next step — and getting a little impatient — and we need to see the kind of improvement we all want to see. Mike believes that as firmly as anybody else in the building."
The Steelers entered the half down 21-0 against Baltimore, marking the fifth straight time they trailed by double digits at the half in a playoff game. They were getting outrushed by a margin of 242 yards to 20 midway through the third quarter, and their prize defense, (Mike Tomlin's forte) allowed over 400 yards before the thrid quarter broke.
It marked the fifth straight game the team lost, and if the Steelers fail to make or win a playoff game next year, it will make 10 straight years without a postseason victory. Yet Mike Tomlin was extended this offseason, even though he and Art Rooney both stressed the need to get back to winning when it counts.
"We've had enough of this," Rooney said. "It's time to get some wins; it's time to take these next steps. The players still respond to Mike, and that's No. 1. 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 and keep them in the fight for the whole way."
And while the Steelers made a valiant effort to get back into the game on Saturday, there were times when you had to question the fight of the team. The will to win. And in a playoff game of all places, that's unacceptable.
So maybe now is the time for a fresh start. And no, you don't fire Mike Tomlin. You make a team come and get him. We know that's not far-fetched. At least one team is already interested in Tomlin and he could fetch a hefty bargain.
"You know what the Chicago Bears would do for Mike Tomlin? Would you part ways with your top 10 pick? I would sure think long and hard about it," said former NFL Scout John Middlekauff on his 3 & Out podcast. "Because these five and six-win seasons, no matter how much talent you have, suck. And the one thing you know, Mike basically guarantees you, (which is no longer good enough for the Steelers) winning 9-10 games and never going under 500. You know what the Chicago Bears would do to just every year go 10-7? So would they trade their first round pick? I would, I mean, I would immediately."
