A historic run in Pittsburgh is lastly over.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has stepped down because the crew’s head coach, per a number of reviews, after a first-round playoff residence loss to the Texans on Monday night time prolonged the franchise’s drought to 9 years with no postseason win.
Tomlin, 53, by no means produced a shedding season in 19 years and gained a Tremendous Bowl in the course of the 2008 season, however the franchise has misplaced six straight playoff video games since its final postseason win in 2017.
Monday’s 30-6 loss to Houston marked the fifth-straight loss by a minimum of 10 factors.
It’s unsure whether or not he would be the high teaching candidate on this yr’s cycle and transfer to the highest of the listing for the Giants and others or if he may be part of a broadcasting sales space.
ESPN’s Peter Schrager stated there’s a “chair ready” both in a sales space or on a set for Tomlin previous to the crew’s playoff-clinching win over the Ravens in Week 18.
Fellow ESPNer Jeremy Fowler reported earlier than Monday’s sport {that a} supply near Tomlin didn’t rule out the opportunity of him stepping down.
Whereas Tomlin has proven his teaching chops by by no means ending with a shedding season, questions emerged concerning the crew’s path underneath his steering.
The Steelers are one of many NFL’s premier franchises, however they haven’t been true AFC or Tremendous Bowl contenders for the reason that 2020 season.
Pittsburgh has completed with 9 or 10 wins in every of the final 5 seasons, and with a minimum of eight wins in seven of the final eight campaigns.
The franchise can be in a horrible playoff rut, having misplaced six straight video games since shedding the Patriots within the AFC Championship sport in the course of the 2016 season.
Monday’s loss to the Texans marked the third time on this stretch Pittsburgh has misplaced at residence within the playoffs, becoming a member of earlier setbacks to the rival Browns and Jaguars.
The nine-year drought and incapacity to provide elite common seasons raised questions on whether or not the franchise had develop into stale, notably on offense.
The franchise struggled to discover a stable quarterback till 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers joined the franchise this yr, however even he could also be a one-year stopgap.
Tomlin owns a 193-114-2 document within the common season and an 8-12 playoff document whereas guiding his crew to the playoffs in 13 of 19 seasons.
The Steelers bested the Cardinals to win their sixth Tremendous Bowl in the course of the 2008 season, his second marketing campaign after changing Corridor of Famer Invoice Cowher.
Tomlin led the franchise again to the Tremendous Bowl two seasons later, the place they fell to Rodgers and the Packers.
Pittsburgh is simply 3-10 within the playoffs since then, although, with only one convention championship look.
