Is This the Year Tomlin Shuts Everyone Up?

Let’s get this out of the way: Mike Tomlin is not on the hot seat. He’s not coaching for his job this season. But what he is coaching for, maybe more than ever, is clarity. This year has the potential to answer the question that’s hovered over him for the better part of a decade: Is Tomlin an all-time great being held back by his roster? Or a solid coach whose reputation benefits from stability and charisma more than results?

Because now, the excuses are gone.

Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has been gifted a fully loaded unit, arguably one of the best defensive roster in the AFC. Yes, Minkah Fitzpatrick is gone, shipped back to Miami in a surprising trade that brought in Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith. But let’s be honest: Ramsey’s versatility gives the Steelers a more versatile chess piece to play with. He can lock down top receivers, slide inside, or roam as a hybrid safety in Austin’s scheme. With T.J. Watt still terrorizing QBs, Cam Heyward anchoring the middle, and rookie linebacker Payton Wilson flashing real sideline-to-sideline speed, this group has no reason not to dominate. If it doesn’t, we’re not pointing fingers at talent, we’re pointing them at coaches.

On offense, the spotlight is squarely on Arthur Smith and the new guy under center: Aaron Rodgers. At 42 years old and another year removed from a torn Achilles, Rodgers is on a one-year deal and already talking like this is his final ride. But this is far from a sympathy tour. Rodgers has a quality suport cast. He’s got a deep backfield, dynamic tight ends (with Jonnu Smith now in the mix), and a receiver group led by D.K. Metcalf. Smith has no reason to out-think himself. Just keep Rodgers clean, keep the offense balanced, and let one of the best to ever do it lead this unit, at least one more time.

And that brings us back to Tomlin. For years, critics have knocked him for playoff letdowns, conservative game plans, and a tendency to get outcoached when the lights are brightest. But defenders say he’s done more with less better than anyone in the league. That he’s been keeping the ship afloat despite shaky quarterback play, coordinator turnover, and aging stars.
Well, this year, he’s got the pieces. If it all comes together, we’ll finally be able to say, see? He just needed the right tools. If it doesn’t? Then maybe those critics weren’t just talking.

This isn’t a “make-or-break” season. This is a reveal season. The kind that rewrites a legacy, or confirms what some have suspected all along.

No more hypotheticals. No more “what if Ben had one more year” or “if only the defense had help.” The 2025 Steelers are loaded with stars, and Tomlin has every reason to take them deep. Whether he does or not will tell us who he really is, not just as a coach, but as a cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s football identity. Another first round playoff exit would be devastating to a future Hall of Famer as many of his biggest supporters may not be able to argue his greatness anymore.

This year, Tomlin’s job isn’t on the line. But his reputation may be.

Continue to check out The Steel Curtain Network for Steelers news and updates. Follow me on “X” @CGillis2021

Stay Blessed and Stay Positive… “Here We Go”