Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has come under fire in recent weeks as the Steelers have collapsed following their hot start. The Steelers have lost five of their last seven games and are in jeopardy of posting their first losing record under Tomlin.
Fans, media members and former players have all been quick to criticize Tomlin, who many feel is no longer right for the job. After years of poor finishes and postseason failures, Pittsburgh could benefit from a change at the top.
One of Tomlin’s former players is Ryan Clark, who played for him for seven seasons from 2007 to 2013. They won a Super Bowl together during the 2008 season along with an AFC championship two years later.
Clark, who now works for ESPN, gave an interesting take on the Tomlin situation during Thursday morning’s episode of “First Take.”
Clark defended his former coach, saying, “To me, Mike Tomlin is one of the best coaches that’s ever lived, and he’s one of the greatest coaches of this era…Mike Tomlin is unfireable in my opinion.”
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However, Clark also acknowledged the Steelers’ glaring decline and Tomlin’s role in that.
“What makes me sad is, when you watch the product that’s on the field right now, you have to agree with what James (Harrison) is saying,” Clark continued. “You have to say that Mike Tomlin is not getting this team prepared to play up to their potential…maybe Mike Tomlin’s voice should be elsewhere. Maybe it’s best that you tear this entire thing down.”
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Pittsburgh fans would probably agree with that sentiment. While Tomlin’s been a great coach for a long time and had a lot of success, a change is needed and it’s time to move on.
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