With the Pittsburgh Steelers barely making the playoffs and some of the team’s fans calling for Mike Tomlin to be fired earlier this season, it raises serious questions about his future should they lose.
The Steelers drew a formidable first-round opponent with the Houston Texans, the hottest team in the NFL behind a nine-game winning streak. However, with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and the Steelers hosting the game, many believed they had a serious shot at pulling off the wild-card upset.
As of halftime, they were down 7-6 in an ugly game that featured more defense, gritty plays, and early frustration for the Steelers’ Rodgers with his performance. That said, coaches often receive blame for disappointing regular-season or playoff performances.
With Pittsburgh taking on the Texans in MNF, ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter explained how a loss could impact Tomlin’s future.
During ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown,” Scott Van Pelt spoke with Schefter, asking whether the results of the MNF game could affect both Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin’s futures in Pittsburgh.
“It could impact the timing of it just like last week when Baltimore loses, John Harbaugh fired two days later,” Schefter said, adding, “This would start the clock if Pittsburgh didn’t win on a decision for Mike Tomlin and from the quarterback Aaron Rodgers.”
The NFL insider said Tomlin, 53, doesn’t seem to be leaning toward leaving the team, and still has a year left on his contract. However, the Steelers have to decide by March whether to pick up the final-year option on that contract.
“He has wanted to stay, it seems like, but there’s always a job in TV waiting,” Schefter told Van Pelt.
Regarding Rodgers, Schefter reminded SVP and viewers that the future Hall of Famer said on “The Pat McAfee Show” before the season started that this would very likely be his last one in the NFL.
“Obviously, you want to know that Mike Tomlin is back first. The Steelers would have to look at the quarterback situation. There would have to be a lot that goes into it, but the fact remains that this potentially could be the final postseason run for Aaron Rodgers. It could be his final game if the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t win tonight,” he said.
Tomlin’s tenure as coach is very similar to Harbaugh’s, as he’s in his 18th year as Steelers head coach. He guided the team to a Super Bowl win in 2009 as head coach and was an assistant coach with the Buccaneers for their 2003 Super Bowl win. Overall, Tomlin’s record is 193-114 in the regular season with an 8-11 playoff record.
Schefter added that there’s plenty of drama surrounding both Tomlin and Rodgers, with this playoff result carrying extra weight for all involved.
Should the Steelers win, they’ll head to Foxborough for their second-round matchup against the New England Patriots. However, a loss would seemingly kick-start a situation that could be very interesting with their QB1 and head coach.
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