Stephen A. Smith Blames Mike Tomlin For Steelers Shortcomings
Considering the Pittsburgh Steelers’ hardships over the past decade, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith feels it might be time to turn the spotlight onto Mike Tomlin.
“How about the fact that he’s looking around and then, you know, you’ve got one coordinator after another and they’re supposed to induce productive change and what have you, and the same ol’, same ol’ happens?” Smith said on Monday’s “First Take.” “How about the fact that we look at the Steelers’ offense and we’re saying to ourselves, ‘When are we gonna get it together? We ultimately got to get to Mike Tomlin, okay? This is where we have to go.”
The Steelers have cycled through a total of seven different offensive and defensive coordinators since their last playoff triumph. The national media refers ad nauseam to the fact that Tomlin has gone his whole head coaching career without a losing season. Smith repeated that fact, but added a revealing spin to it.
“Do y’all know that the Steelers are the first team in the Super Bowl era … to go eight straight seasons without a losing record, but with zero playoff wins?” Smith asked. “Did you know that the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016? Do you know that, in that span, they’ve had five or six one-and-dones? Did you know that?”
Technically, the Steelers’ last playoff win was in 2017 — an 18-16 divisional round road win at Kansas City — but it followed the 2016-17 regular season. Since then, Mike Tomlin and Pittsburgh have allowed more than 40 points in three playoff defeats and lost the other three by at least two scores.
Smith wondered aloud what Tomlin’s role in personnel is, then considered the perspectives of some of the Steelers’ standout players.
“If I’m T.J. Watt, I’m looking at this franchise,” Smith said. “I know how great I am, but I know great we’re not. I’m looking at that. If I’m Najee Harris, who’s approaching free agency, I might wanna move on. … If I’m George Pickens — certainly needs to handle stuff better, Shannon – you ain’t got to say every truth. You ain’t got to be outspoken. I’ve got that part. But, let’s deal with the validity of his words. Is he lying?”
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