A historic run in Pittsburgh is finally over.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has stepped down as the team’s head coach, per multiple reports, after a first-round playoff home loss to the Texans on Monday night extended the franchise’s drought to nine years without a postseason win.
Tomlin, 53, never produced a losing season in 19 years and won a Super Bowl during the 2008 season, but the franchise has lost six straight playoff games since its last postseason win in 2017.
Monday’s 30-6 loss to Houston marked the fifth-straight loss by at least 10 points.
It’s uncertain whether he will be the top coaching candidate in this year’s cycle and move to the top of the list for the Giants and others or if he could join a broadcasting booth.
ESPN’s Peter Schrager said there’s a “chair waiting” either in a booth or on a set for Tomlin prior to the team’s playoff-clinching win over the Ravens in Week 18.
Fellow ESPNer Jeremy Fowler reported before Monday’s game that a source close to Tomlin did not rule out the possibility of him stepping down.
While Tomlin has shown his coaching chops by never finishing with a losing season, questions emerged about the team’s direction under his guidance.
The Steelers are one of the NFL’s premier franchises, but they haven’t been true AFC or Super Bowl contenders since the 2020 season.
Pittsburgh has finished with nine or 10 wins in each of the last five seasons, and with at least eight wins in seven of the last eight campaigns.
The franchise is also in a horrible playoff rut, having lost six straight games since losing the Patriots in the AFC Championship game during the 2016 season.
Monday’s loss to the Texans marked the third time in this stretch Pittsburgh has lost at home in the playoffs, joining previous setbacks to the rival Browns and Jaguars.
The nine-year drought and inability to produce elite regular seasons raised questions about whether the franchise had become stale, particularly on offense.
The franchise struggled to find a solid quarterback until 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers joined the franchise this year, but even he may be a one-year stopgap.
Tomlin owns a 193-114-2 record in the regular season and an 8-12 playoff record while guiding his team to the playoffs in 13 of 19 seasons.
The Steelers bested the Cardinals to win their sixth Super Bowl during the 2008 season, his second campaign after replacing Hall of Famer Bill Cowher.
Tomlin led the franchise back to the Super Bowl two seasons later, where they fell to Rodgers and the Packers.
Pittsburgh is just 3-10 in the playoffs since then, though, with just one conference championship appearance.
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