Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin could clinch an 18th consecutive non-losing season with a win or tie against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night. The Steelers over/under win total heading into 2024 was 8.5. No one expected them to be in the position they are in now, and that’s why Tomlin is currently the front-runner for NFL Coach of the Year.
Overall, the Steelers haven’t had a losing season since 2003, which is by far the longest active streak in the NFL. If they beat/tie the Browns on Thursday night, the Steelers would tie the longest non-losing season streak in NFL history with the Dallas Cowboys’ 21-year run from 1965-85. The Steelers finished 8-8 four times over the past two decades (2006, 2012, 2013 and 2018). The next-longest streak of non-losing seasons is 19 by the New England Patriots. New England never had a below .500 season during their two separate dynasty eras from 2001 to 2019.
Only Tom Landry (21 seasons, 1965-1985) and Bill Belichick (19 seasons, 2001-2019) have more consecutive seasons without a losing record than Tomlin’s current 17. Landry had five consecutive losing seasons to start his career with the Dallas Cowboys, while Belichick had losing seasons in Cleveland and in his first season in New England. Tomlin holds the NFL record for the most consecutive non-losing seasons to start a coaching career with 17. That very well could be extended to 18 by late Thursday night.
The Steelers are on track to have their 41st winning season since 1972. They have only seven losing seasons and five .500 seasons in that time frame.
While the Steelers’ non-losing season streak is impressive and speaks to the Pittsburgh’s consistency, the organization’s main goal is to win playoff games and ultimately a Super Bowl this season. The Steelers are currently on a seven-year playoff win drought.
Steelers president Art Rooney II expressed this past offseason that he’s seen enough of the Steelers losing in the playoffs.
“We’ve had enough of this,” Rooney said. “It’s time to get some wins; it’s time to take these next steps.”
General manager Omar Khan echoed Rooney’s statement at the NFL owner’s meetings in Orlando in March.
“We all share that frustration that he has,” Khan said. “We’re sitting at home during the Super Bowl and that’s not where we want to be. And I think we all share that frustration and we all know we have to be better organizationally in every department.”
The Steelers currently sit atop of the AFC North at 8-2. As of right now, the Steelers are considered the top contenders in the AFC with the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. The Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers could be in the mix, as well.