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Mr. “Never Had A Losing Season” means more now than it used to.
The Pittsburgh Steelers notched their ninth win of the 2024 NFL season in Week 13 with a 44-38 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a big win — not just because of the ramifications of yet another divisional victory to further extend the gap between Pittsburgh and the trailing Baltimore Ravens — but also because of the mark it made on the legacy of the franchise.
Week 13’s win officially marked the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 21st consecutive season without a losing record, dating back to 2004 — Ben Roethlisberger’s rookie season when the black and gold went 15-1 just one year prior to winning Super Bowl XL.
They are now tied with the Dallas Cowboys for most consecutive seasons without a losing record in NFL history, with their 21-year run ranging between 1965 and 1985. Dallas won two Super Bowls in that span, having made the playoffs in 19 of those 21 seasons.
Another non-losing season, of course, means that HC Mike Tomlin has seen his own streak continue, with the third-most consecutive non-losing seasons in NFL history, only behind Bill Belichick (19 consecutive seasons, 2001-2019) and Cowboys HC Tom Landry, who led Dallas’ franchise to the aforementioned 21-year non-losing streak between 1965-1985.
Despite Tomlin’s success, he has never won NFL Head Coach of the Year. His current betting odds sit at +400, ranked second among coaches only behind Detroit Lions’ Dan Campbell (current favorite at +120) while being tied with Minnesota Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell.