By Marvin Moore September 1, 2023
For 15 years, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has guided his team to a winning record. He eclipsed Marty Schottenheimer’s 14-season run last season to become the measuring stick. No head coach in league history had started his career with so many seasons without a losing record. But all good things must come to an end.
Pittsburgh opened the 2022 season with just two wins in their first eight games. A setback in mid-December to the Baltimore Ravens left the Steelers with a 5-8 card with four games remaining in the regular season. One more loss, and the streak was over.
The setback that would have ended Tomlin’s record-setting feat never came. The Steelers finished the season with four straight victories to extend their coach’s streak of never having a losing record to 16 seasons. And he did it with a rookie quarterback.
Tomlin inherited a talented squad that had won the Super Bowl two years earlier and led Pittsburgh to another Vince Lombardi Trophy in his second year with the franchise. He also became the youngest head coach at the time to win the Super Bowl.
A defensive guru, Tomlin ranks 16th on the NFL’s all-time regular season wins list with 163. He tallied 136 wins with Ben Roethlisberger under center and could be poised for more success with second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett.
The Steelers’ formula for winning is a stout defense and a solid rushing attack. The players feed off of the passion and toughness of their coach, and nobody prepares for opposing offenses like the record-setting Tomlin.
Despite his streak of non-losing seasons, the Steelers are winless in their last four playoff games under Tomlin. Pittsburgh narrowly missed out on the postseason last year and should be in contention again this season if Pickett can take the next step forward as a capable passer.
Tomlin is entering his 17th season calling the shots for the Rooney family and has two years remaining on his contract. He has proven to be an elite head coach and a fearless leader of men. And expectations for this upcoming season are higher than usual.
The Steelers went 7-2 down the stretch last year, including a four-game winning streak to end the season. Tomlin worked his magic with a rookie quarterback, and the “Men of Steel” have the look of a playoff contender.
Pittsburgh went 3-3 against AFC North squads a year ago, including a thrilling 23-20 road win over the reigning conference champion, Cincinnati Bengals. Five of their eight losses last season were by seven or fewer points. That’s not bad for a team that had severe issues at the quarterback position.
While NFL head coaches come and go, Tomlin has been a rock of consistency. When Le’Veon Bell staged a season-long holdout, the team still won. The winning continued when Antonio Brown forced a trade to the Oakland Raiders. His 163-93-2 regular season record speaks for itself.
Last season proved that regardless of the shortcomings of the Steelers roster, it’s almost impossible Pittsburgh will be bad as long as Tomlin is roaming the sidelines. The veteran coach has his team primed to make some noise in 2023, and while questions remain at quarterback, smart money has Tomlin and the Steelers riding high again this year.
