Mike Tomlin has a Super Bowl victory to his name, but outside of that he hasn’t had much postseason success with the Pittsburgh Steelers. As such, he’s on the receiving end of plenty of criticism from a fan base that’s enduring a six-game playoff losing streak. Fans are right to feel some frustration about that, but that doesn’t mean Tomlin still isn’t doing a good job.
At least that’s what some anonymous NFL agents think. Ben Standig with Last Man Standig surveyed 24 anonymous agents in a post published Thursday, with one question asking “Which head coach gets the most out of their players on and off the field?” Tomlin received the most votes with five.
“Mike Tomlin finds a way every year to tell the same message yet keep it fresh,” one agent wrote.
“Hands down, Mike Tomlin. I know the Steelers could use a playoff run, but they have a shot at contending every year. He sets the standard,” wrote another.
Off the field, things might be a little up in the air. The Steelers have had a bevy of turbulent players over the last several years, and Tomlin hasn’t always gotten things to work out with them. One prime example is George Pickens. Tomlin repeatedly backed the star receiver, but Pittsburgh eventually had to move on from him heading into the final year of his rookie contract. You could certainly argue that Tomlin didn’t get the most out of Pickens off the field.
On the field, it’s hard to argue with the agents’ opinions here. Mike Tomlin and the Steelers haven’t found their post-Roethlisberger franchise quarterback yet. However, Tomlin has still led his team to the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. He’s also won 10 games in back-to-back seasons with a rotating cast at quarterback each year.
That success hasn’t translated to the playoffs, but Tomlin and the organization are taking a different approach this offseason. They’ve been much more proactive than usual, bringing in several big-name talents on both sides of the ball. Those moves are risky. Yet they signal a realization that their previous method in roster building wasn’t good enough.
Mike Tomlin still receives a lot of credit nationwide. However, he won’t get much more praise in Pittsburgh until he starts winning playoff games. That’s understandable. But these agents do provide a glimpse as to how the rest of the NFL world views the Steelers’ head coach.
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