The Steelers need to move on from Mike Tomlin

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It’s time.

Here we are again.

Another season in which the Steelers’ season doesn’t end with a triumphant win, or at least a hard-fought game in which they came up just short. Instead, the Steelers were embarrassed, shown up, and sent home with whimper at the hands of a team that is far superior to them in every aspect. And in a year that saw the Steelers make several changes, trades, and big free agent signings, they finished with the exact same record and result they had a year ago.

As Steelers fans, we’ve had this argument for nearly a decade. But after a while, it turned into a conversation rather than a debate. And after tonight, it’s no longer even a debate – it’s a forgone conclusion accepted as fact. The Steelers need to fire Mike Tomlin, and usher in a rebuild.

After a 10-3 start, the Steelers capped off their season with five straight losses and put the icing on top with a 28-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens to send them home until July. The five-game losing streak ties the longest in the Tomlin era. And in the process, we saw a team that you couldn’t convince anyone watching that they wanted to be there. We saw a coach who claims to not live in his fears punt on fourth and inches to an offense that was unstoppable. For all intents and purposes, the game ended when Tomlin told his offense to come off the field after that Pat Freiermuth reception.

The Steelers were out-gained 464-280, and 308-59 in the first half while giving up more yards after contact in the first half than they did in any full game this season. From Baltimore’s opening drive when they went 95 yards for a touchdown, there was no life in the team, and it was evident for all four quarters that massive changes that have been long overdue need to be made.

With the loss, Tomlin’s playoff record tumbles to 8-12. In his 18 seasons as head coach, the Steelers have advanced in the postseason in just four of them – I’d love to hear someone defend that.

The most eye-opening aspect of this, though, is that in years past, Steelers fans would face severe pushback from those on the outside for having the audacity to suggest Pittsburgh fire the high and mighty Mike Tomlin – that wasn’t the case during the game. Dan Hanzus of Heed The Call pointed out that many uncomfortable conversations should be taking place in Pittsburgh.

Dave Dameshek said it’s time for the Steelers to make a change at head coach.

Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated seemed to agree that blowing it up would be best for Pittsburgh.

For Steelers fans, this is unchartered territory where media outside of Pittsburgh, or the most loyal Tomlin defenders, are acknowledging that this thing needs to come to an end. At this point, it’s nearly impossible to find a valid reason why it shouldn’t.

In their last five playoff games, the Steelers have trailed by at least two scores in the first half.

• Jaguars: 21-0
• Browns: 28-0
• Chiefs: 21-7
• Bills: 21-0
• Ravens: 21-0

For context, Doug Pederson has three playoff wins and a Super Bowl since the Steelers’ last playoff win. The Jaguars as a franchise have three more playoff wins than the Steelers since 2016. Teams like the Titans had runs to the AFC Championship Game. C.J. Stroud and DeMeco Ryans took over a dead franchise in Houston and have won playoff games in consecutive years. The Cleveland Browns have more playoff wins than the Steelers since 2016. The Detroit Lions went through multiple head coaches and completed a rebuild to becoming the best team in football all before the Steelers won a playoff game. This franchise has reached something beyond mediocrity where everyone knows they aren’t to be taken seriously.

To routinely get blown out in the biggest games says more than enough about Tomlin and how the game has left his style of play in the past. You can’t play conservative and expect to beat the great teams in the league. You can’t march out a sad sack of an offense with sub-par quarterback play and no weapons expecting to go far in January. And while the Steelers have always been competitive, that’s done them more harm than good in hindsight. Drafting in the range of No. 18-22 every year keeps them out of range for a potential franchise quarterback in the draft. If you don’t have a good quarterback, you have nothing in today’s NFL.

In addition, for all the people who love to cling to the narrative of “Tomlin would be hired in five minutes if the Steelers fired him,” – enough of that. That argument is so tired and lame. It basically suggests that instead of having a real standard for winning and moving on if big goals aren’t met that Steelers fans should be content with the franchise banging their heads against a wall every year expecting a different result. In terms of candidates, there is no shortage this offseason. Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn, Liam Coen, Joe Brady – there ae viable names out there who would line up for the job security that comes with the Steelers knowing they’d be given time to try their hand at a rebuild. Would it be tough to go through some down years? Of course. But it’s more than worth it if it means getting back to the heights Steelers fans expect and deserve rather than being stuck in purgatory.

The Steelers could also explore trading Mike Tomlin, which should actually be the first route of attack. He has a no-trade clause, but if he were to accept a trade, there are several teams that would give up draft picks in exchange for his services.

On top of firing or trading Tomlin, the Steelers should begin to rebuild. Trade T.J. Watt. Trade Cam Heyward. Trade Minkah Fitzpatrick and get a ton of picks in return, on top of the pick(s) they’d get from a potential Tomlin trade. While it would be hard to see the cornerstones go, there is no need to hold onto them when the organization is going nowhere, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see at least one of them request a trade to a contender, which they’d have every right to do. But in terms of this era of Steelers football, turn out the lights because it’s over. At least it should be.