Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin received an intriguing spot in a recent NFL head coach ranking.
Tomlin, who is entering his 19th season as Steelers head coach, came in at No.7 in Pro Football Network’s Brandon Austin ranking of head coaches.
“The 2025 season could be a defining one for Tomlin. After pursuing veteran Russell Wilson last season, the Steelers signed Aaron Rodgers this offseason. The front office appears desperate to win now. Although Tomlin has been the ultimate leader, if he doesn’t make a run soon, the team might consider starting fresh,” Austin wrote.
At one point in the 2010s, Tomlin was up there with Bill Belichick as one of the elite head coaches in the sport.
However, Pittsburgh has been incredibly mediocre over the last few years, as the franchise hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2016-2017 season, and Tomlin hasn’t been able to fully adapt to the new age of the NFL.
Though the Steelers have fired just one head coach since 1969, it may be time for the team to move on from Tomlin if the 2025 season doesn’t go well. Tomlin is highly respected and will go down as one of the greatest head coaches of 2000s, but it’s clear that he’s reached his peak in Pittsburgh, and the franchise desperately needs a fresh start.
He is still a solid head coach, but ranking Tomlin as one of the top ten head coaches in the NFL in 2025 is living in the past.
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