Mike Tomlin comments on job security, Steelers’ QB issues ahead of next season: ‘You get what you deserve’

During his 18 seasons as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Tomlin has been known for one thing: winning. He’s led the team to two Super Bowls during his tenure, winning one of them. Most notably, he’s never finished a season with a losing record during his entire time in Pittsburgh.

Although Tomlin has consistently delivered more wins than losses, he’s struggled to produce a truly playoff-competitive team for the better part of a decade. In the last eight years, Pittsburgh has made the postseason five times with an 0-5 record during those runs.

A key piece of the Steelers’ postseason failures has been a lack of stability at the quarterback position. After undergoing elbow surgery in 2019, Ben Roethlisberger looked like a shell of his former self in his final two seasons. In the following years, the franchise has half-heartedly attempted to address the position, trying to make things work with Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.

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Late-season letdowns and subpar quarterback play have left Steelers fans asking two key questions. Who will be our head coach, and who will be our quarterback during the 2025 season? Mike Tomlin addressed those questions Tuesday. 

Will Steelers move on from Mike Tomlin?

After failing to pick up a postseason victory in five consecutive playoff appearances, fans and media members are understandably discussing Tomlin’s job security, wondering if his messaging is falling on deaf ears in the locker room.

In his initial postseason press conference, Tomlin addressed the shortcomings of the team head-on in his opening statement. “It’s certainly disappointing to be conducting this business today, but I don’t view it as misfortune to be quite honest with you,” he said. “Particularly at this level, in this business and game, there’s football justice. You get what you deserve.”

Tomlin clearly understands that his team didn’t do enough to find success in the playoffs. “We’re here and we’re here for really tangible reasons,” he continued. “We didn’t evolve in the right ways, we didn’t strike the right chords at the right times.”

Tomlin’s acknowledgment of the team’s failures didn’t stop Steelers beat reporters from pressing him on where he stands in terms of his job security. In response, Tomlin said, “I have no response to that … I don’t make excuses for failure. I own it. But I also feel like I’m capable.

Mike Tomlin says “words are hollow” when it comes to questions about his job security. Here’s more of his answer on that. pic.twitter.com/7F3qUh9ipU

— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) January 14, 2025

As of now, Tomlin has no interest in directly addressing where he stands with the organization. While Tomlin may not be too keen to talk about it, recent reports out of Pittsburgh indicate that he’ll indeed be back next season.

Steelers don’t plan to move on from Mike Tomlin. https://t.co/JXsARlSh59

— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) January 12, 2025

As for the rest of Tomlin’s staff, their 2025 status is still up in the air. Tomlin said he was in “early discussions” in regards to who will be back next season.

Who will be QB for the Steelers next season?

In his latest press conference with the media, Tomlin remained non-committal when it came to the Steelers’ quarterback room. Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Mason Rudolph are all set to be free agents this offseason, but Tomlin did not explicitly state whether there was a plan in place to bring any of them back.

In regard to Fields, Tomlin shared his belief in him as an NFL starting quarterback. He also added that there is a “legitimate thought” that he could return as the Steelers’ starter next season.

If the Steelers decide against running it back with with Fields or Wilson, they currently hold the No. 21 pick in the 2025 NFL draft where they could make a move at quarterback. Otherwise, they’ll have to address the position via a relatively weak free agent class

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Mike Tomlin coaching record

Across his NFL head coaching career, Tomlin is most known for his 18 consecutive winning seasons. He’s also the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL, beating out AFC North rival John Harbaugh.

With the Steelers’ 2024 season coming to a close, Tomlin now sits just eight wins away from cracking the top 10 for career wins by a head coach. Given his track record in Pittsburgh, he should be able to pick up all eight next season.

 Steelers’ coaching history

Since the 1970s, the Steelers have been known for the longevity of their head coaches. Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin have been the only three head coaches of the team since 1969.

All three of Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin have winning records during their respective tenures and each have led the Steelers to a Super Bowl victory.