Over almost the last decade, the Pittsburgh Steelers have not lived up to their standard. They’re still usually in the playoff picture, but they haven’t won a postseason game in eight years. Mike Tomlin’s Steelers have wilted more often than not in the playoffs recently. Many of those games have been blowouts, too. For one of the NFL’s most accomplished franchises, that’s not good enough. Because of that, analyst Matt Harmon believes there’s a new standard in Pittsburgh.
“It’s just lackluster, double-digit, one-and-done playoff losses,” Harmon said Wednesday on the podcast Football 301. “That’s the standard in Pittsburgh at this point, if they can squeak into the playoffs.
“If they can squeak into the playoffs on the back of a team that nobody really believes in. And I’m not saying this is all [Mike] Tomlin’s fault. In fact, I think we would all agree that he certainly coaches around some of the holes on this roster, but I think he doesn’t get enough flack for the holes on the roster.”
Harmon has a point. Most people expect the Steelers to make the playoffs, but there’s not much belief that they’ll actually win a game. Even when they’ve played well and made the playoffs, they’ve totally collapsed against greater competition.
Look at their last three playoff appearances. Last year, the Baltimore Ravens crushed the Steelers, gashing them on the ground and winning by 14. In 2023, the Steelers faced the Buffalo Bills, ending in another 14-point loss for Pittsburgh. 2021 was even worse. There, the Steelers lost 42-21 to the Kansas City Chiefs, not posing much of a threat.
The Steelers’ two playoff losses before that were a little prettier, although not by much. In 2020, they had a home playoff game against the Cleveland Browns, but the Steelers came out flat, losing to their division rival. 2017 saw the Steelers go 13-3, being one of the best teams in the league. However, they made too many mistakes in their playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, going one-and-done.
The Steelers have been what Harmon thinks they are. While they’ve had issues, most notably at quarterback, that shouldn’t excuse them from criticism. Some of the blame for their struggles should fall on Tomlin.
Last year’s disastrous end to the season is a perfect example. The Steelers lost their final four games of the regular season. Going into the playoffs, it felt like they didn’t have a chance in the world of victory. That turned out to be true, too. It felt like the Steelers didn’t belong in the postseason.
Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s how the Steelers’ 2025 season will end. They can change the narrative surrounding them. Their roster is talented. Upgrading at quarterback could finally get them over that hump. They have too many talented players to continue failing in the playoffs, though. T.J. Watt has yet to win a playoff game, and it would be unfortunate not to see that change soon.
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