A question that’s yet to be asked to Mike Tomlin: How does it feel to endure a losing season?
Following Week 17 in the Pacific Northwest, the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach still won’t be getting that asked thanks to hitting a new league milestone in Seattle.
“He’s Done It Again,” Looking at Mike Tomlin’s Rare NFL Streak
The moment Najee Harris fell to the ground after gaining 12 yards inside the red zone with under a minute left, the Steelers running back helped not only seal the 30-23 road win over the Seahawks, but Harris solidified this new milestone for his head coach: 17 straight winning seasons.
He's done it again
Mike Tomlin has NEVER EVER finished below .500 pic.twitter.com/2bLvseilBE
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 1, 2024
That’s right, Tomlin has never witnessed one season below .500; that officially makes him the only head coach in league history to begin his career with 17 straight winning records.
The streak began in Season 1 back in 2007. That Steelers team ended 10-6 and secured the AFC North title.
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One year later, Tomlin and Pittsburgh hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy by beating the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
Since the Super Bowl run, here’s what else Tomlin has accomplished in his run as Steelers head coach:
- Win one more AFC title, which was two years after winning the Super Bowl together.
- Produce seven double-digit winning seasons.
- Clinch seven division titles.
- Has only coached three eight-win Steelers teams.
- Officially racked up his 180th coaching win, which now has him threatening legendary NFL coaches Tom Coughlin and Bill Parcells for 13th and 12th, respectively.
- Finally, Tomlin’s Steelers team has never finished last in the division.
Every year, Tomlin makes sure he and Pittsburgh don’t go near last place or below .500, and Tomlin was heavily criticized throughout 2023 for the Steelers’ ups and downs including losing to the struggling New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals.
But through it all, Tomlin has kept the Steelers in the playoff mix.
What Was Tomlin’s Reaction to New Milestone?
Tomlin wasn’t one to gloat about his new milestone. Instead, he chose to be reflective of getting a much-needed win for the Steelers.
“We were in a hostile environment today, to say the least, and playing a team that was as desperate like we were. And we didn’t blink,” Tomlin told reporters postgame. “So I’m appreciative of that and to be congratulated for that.”
He loved the way the Steelers conquered a critical area he preached during the week of practices in Pittsburgh.
“We talked about all week long about trying to conquer the environment,” Tomlin said. “And winning the line of scrimmage was a major component of it.”
He not only raved about the offensive line play but believed the production was widespread throughout the team.
“They embraced that challenge, and they controlled the climate,” Tomlin said.
Are the Pittsburgh Steelers Playoff-Bound? Looking at Their Scenarios
Tomlin has clinched his 17 straight non-losing seasons. They also won with PFN’s NFL Playoff Predictor calculating that Pittsburgh faced a 15% chance of making the playoffs before the win over the Seahawks.
However, he and the Steelers are yet to seal a playoff berth.
Right now, the AFC North has the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns represented for the upcoming postseason. Meanwhile, the Steelers are still in a traffic jam on the road to the playoffs.
They share the same record at 9-7 with the top three teams in the AFC South: the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, and Houston Texans. Out of all those teams, it’s a Jaguars loss that helps the Steelers more. The Colts and Texans hold the tiebreaker edge over Pittsburgh.
Then there’s the Buffalo Bills at 10-6. A Steelers win in Week 18 and a Bills loss or tie helps Pittsburgh. Buffalo, however, now has a chance to leapfrog the Miami Dolphins for the AFC East title in Week 18 down in South Beach.
Steelers fans and the rest of the NFL world are scrutinizing Pittsburgh’s chances. Tomlin, however, opted to not give into those wild scenarios.
“All we can do is win the games we’re in. You can’t spend your time scoreboard-watching and things of that nature,” Tomlin said. “It’s professional ball, you’ve got to beat the people you play.”
Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!