Pittsburgh, PA – June 26, 2025
For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have lived in a strange duality. On one side, fans see a head coach who refuses to lose — who squeezes results from rosters most experts write off. On the other, they see a man who hasn’t delivered a single playoff win in nearly a decade. That tension, once again, is back in focus.
Pro Football Focus just ranked the top 10 returning head coaches in the NFL, and Mike Tomlin came in at No. 5. It’s a nod to consistency and leadership, not postseason glory. In their analysis, PFF noted that “despite recent criticism about a lack of playoff success, Mike Tomlin still finds a way to squeeze every ounce of execution out of his teams.”
That execution was on display again in 2024. The Steelers, dealing with a rotating door at quarterback, still clawed their way to the playoffs — not by lighting up scoreboards, but by leaning hard into their identity: defense. PFF ranked Pittsburgh No. 4 in overall defensive grade and No. 1 in pass-rush, thanks to future Hall of Famers T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward. But the numbers also told a clearer story: Pittsburgh went 8-0 when allowing 18 points or fewer... and 2-8 when opponents crossed the 19-point threshold.
The issue isn’t new, and neither is the debate. Can you call a coach great if his team repeatedly falls short in January? Some say yes — Tomlin’s never had a losing season in 18 years. Others push back, noting that most players on this roster are here because Tomlin wanted them, making him responsible not just for the execution, but for the ceiling.
In Pittsburgh, the line between loyalty and frustration runs thin. Tomlin is both one of the most respected figures in the building... and one of the most polarizing outside it. As the 2025 season approaches, one truth remains: he’s still standing, still coaching, and still being ranked among the league’s best — even if the trophy case hasn’t grown in a while.
Stay tuned to ESPN!
