The Pittsburgh Steelers are famous for their standard of excellence, which has helped them win six Super Bowl titles — tied with the New England Patriots for most in NFL history.
The Steelers have also not had a losing record since 2003, going at least .500 every year since then.
Mike Tomlin has maintained that streak since taking over in 2007, extending it to 21 seasons and counting.
Pittsburgh’s impressive regular-season success hasn’t translated to the postseason, however, as the franchise hasn’t won a playoff game since January 2017. The Steelers have lost their last six postseason games under Tomlin, who’s 3-10 over his last 13 playoff games.
Tomlin’s recent inability to get over the hump has drawn frequent criticism from fans and media alike, including radio host Colin Cowherd on Tuesday’s episode of “The Herd.”
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“He hasn’t won a playoff game in eight years. He would be fired if he was the Eagles coach or the Cowboys coach,” Cowherd said, adding Green Bay, New England, San Francisco and Baltimore to the list. “But in Pittsburgh, it’s old-school, and they take pride in stuff like we have not had a losing season in 21 years.”
To prove his point, Cowherd noted that during Pittsburgh’s 21-season streak, there have been 60 cases of an NFL team posting a winning record but failing to make the playoffs, including three by the Steelers.
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“Winning record doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t guarantee anything,” Cowherd said. “What does it mean? It’s just an arbitrary number.”
Cowherd’s right that the goal is to win championships, not go 9-8 or 10-7 during the regular season and flame out during the playoffs. Pittsburgh has won a lot of games under Tomlin, but not many important ones lately.
Perhaps the Steelers have given him too long of a leash. If they want to win their first title in nearly two decades, it could be time for a coaching change soon.
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Featured image via Tommy Gilligan/Imagn Images