Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers added an undesirable record to their name following their loss against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. They became only the third team in NFL history to enter the playoffs with four consecutive losses — the 1999 Detroit Lions and the 1986 New York Jets were the only other teams to do so.
Multiple losses can always stir the talk about a change in coaching staff. NFL insider Adam Schefter believes teams could be in the hunt to pursue a trade for Tomlin from the Steelers.
NFL Insider Sees Teams Calling for Mike Tomlin
Pittsburgh’s Week 18 loss against the Bengals leaves their postseason seeding in the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers. Schefter expressed his opinion about Tomlin’s situation on ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown.”
“I think there are going to be teams out there that have watched the way that the Pittsburgh Steelers season has ended and wonder whether they should call the Steelers to see if they should inquire about whether the Steelers would be willing to move on from Mike Tomlin and move him to another organization,” Schefter said.
However, Schefter doesn’t think the Steelers will part ways with their head coach.
“I don’t think Pittsburgh will do that. That has not been what they have been about, and there’s no indication that they would, but I do think there are teams wondering about whether they should lob in a call just to see if they could stir Pittsburgh’s ear,” he concluded.
The Steelers ended the regular season with a 10-7 record. Tomlin inched closer to the NFL record for most consecutive non-losing seasons with 18. He is only behind Tom Landry (21) and Bill Belichick (19).
Will the Steelers Really Let Tomlin Go?
It is highly unlikely that Pittsburgh will cut ties with Tomlin. However, the Steelers’ last playoff win came back in 2016. They will either face the Houston Texans or the Baltimore Ravens next week in the Wild Card Round. If they don’t manage to make it past the next round, it would be their sixth playoff loss in a row. This might make the Steelers’ management reconsider their faith in Tomlin.
Tomlin is bound to Pittsburgh until 2027. A team can only land him through the trade market, where Tomlin could net a first-round pick for the Steelers. For his non-losing streak, the respect he has from players and teams in the NFL, and to keep the locker room stable, the Steeles should avoid trading Tomlin.
Who Will Tomlin’s Steelers Face in the Playoffs?
The outcome of the Chargers’ game will determine the Steelers’ playoff seeding. The difference between the fifth and sixth seeds is significant: the fifth seed will travel to Houston (9-7), while the sixth seed will travel to Baltimore (12-5) in the Wild Card Round.
- If the Chargers defeat the Las Vegas Raiders: Los Angeles will claim the fifth seed, and Pittsburgh will take the sixth seed.
- If the Chargers lose to the Las Vegas Raiders: Pittsburgh will secure the fifth seed, and Los Angeles will fall to the sixth seed.
Pittsburgh will play on the road next weekend in Houston or Baltimore. The PFN NFL Playoff Predictor would give the Steelers a 54.9% chance of beating the Texans, while they would have a 34% chance of beating the Ravens.