After a painful 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Stephen A. Smith didn’t mince words when assessing the future of Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
Pittsburgh fans chanted ‘fire Tomlin’ in unison following the disappointing defeat against their AFC divisional rivals. With hopes of challenging for a postseason spot in the playoffs, the Steelers look ill-equipped to do that now.
Responding to the chants, Tomlin told reporters: “I share their frustration tonight. We didn’t do enough. That’s just the reality of it.”
Now, Smith has called time on Tomlin’s tenure in Pittsburgh. On the latest edition of First Take, Smith delivered a blunt fourword verdict: “It’s time. It’s over.”
He framed the statement not as a fiery hot take, but as a moment of brutal clarity. He believes the oncerespected coach is now running out of goodwill.
“I know that’s a bit shocking for most people to hear, especially coming from me, a Steelers fan, who loves me some Mike Tomlin,” Smith admitted.
“I’ve loved and admired him for years. I’m in no way trying to imply that this man is not a head coach. He’s not a quality head coach. He’s not a Hall of Fame head coach. I’m not trying to imply that at all.”
Steelers fighting losing race for playoffs
Under Tomlin, the Steelers have become synonymous with consistency – always competitive, often in the hunt, but rarely relevant when the postseason arrives.
Smith described the franchise as “a model of mediocrity or slightly above for over a decade,” calling it “unacceptable.”
Sunday’s loss to the Bills served as a fresh example. The Steelers, now 6-6, face a brutal remaining schedule and a shrinking window to make the playoffs.
Each setback only further increases the pressure and the questions over whether Tomlin‘s firm control and defensive identity remain relevant in today’s NFL, where offensive firepower arguably hold higher importance.
The case for Tomlin to stay
Several in the media echo Smith‘s sentiment, noting that if Tomlin were leading any other franchise with similar results, demands for change would already be deafening.
His long tenure is under question, especially with rumors of discontent between Aaron Rodgers and his teammates.
Yet for all the criticism, Tomlin‘s defenders point to his 18 consecutive non-losing seasons and argue the situation runs deeper than one coach.
Roster construction, injuries, and front-office decisions all play a part. Still, as Smith argues, those factors don’t exempt the head coach from responsibility when results repeatedly fall short.
With three wins likely needed in the final stretch simply to salvage another “winning” season, Tomlin‘s margin for error is thin.
If the Steelers falter again, the pressure will only grow louder from fans, the media, and maybe even from within the organisation.
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