Tomlin Should Resign in Disgrace
The Pittsburgh Steelers just lost to the Buffalo Bills by a score of 38-3, and they are now 1-4 heading into a brutal schedule. The way they are playing, it is likely they’ll head into their bye week with a record no better than 2-6. Being a fan since the early 1970’s, I don’t remember a Steelers team that was this horrible. It’s not just that they are losing, they are embarrassing. And, that is a reflection of the head coach. Tomlin should resign in disgrace. He has destroyed the team and it’s legacy.
Humility
Just watch Tomlin in any press conference, when he is interviewed on the sideline, or how he carries himself on the sideline. He has the humility of a peacock. He struts around like he is the premier coach in all of football, and maybe in all of sports. And, he thinks his answers to questions are so cute.
In sharp contrast, I watched Sean McDermott, the coach of the Buffalo Bills during the rout of the Steelers. He showed control and poise. He didn’t have cute, dumb answers when interviewed. And, he was all about football. You could see his influence on his team. He runs that team. The team doesn’t run him. That is what a football coach is supposed to be. Just think back to Noll and Cowher.
Records
If it wasn’t for Bill Cowher’s players, Kevin Colbert’s drafting and Ben Roethlisberger, Tomlin would be a below average coach. I think these factors allowed Tomlin to skate through his coaching career. His true colors are showing now. I remember his bold “Tomlin-ism” at the beginning of this season that he was looking forward to the challenge of losing a Hall of Fame quarterback. It’s a complete train wreck coach, and I don’t trust in your coaching ability to turn it around.
Player’s Coach
This is touted as such a great thing, but it’s a major issue. You can’t be a friend of the players and coaches, and be a coach at the same time. It’s the same problem as a parent trying to be their child’s best friend and a parent at the same time.
The players and coaches know they won’t be held accountable. Tomlin will pretend to be tough and talk a big game to appease the press. But, you see in the very next game that none of it ever happened. The same mistakes get made Then, Tomlin will pull somebody out of the game for three plays to show how tough he is.
Players laughing and horsing around on the sideline when they are losing 38-3 is inexcusable. But, the “players coach” doesn’t care. That’s just boys being boys. This isn’t the first time that happened. It’s a team virus. The coach doesn’t care, so they don’t have to care. The inmates are running the asylum.
Loyalty
Tomlin has this insane loyalty to players and coaches at the team’s peril. He thinks he is being fair, but he’s enabling bad players to continue to play poorly. When a player or coach isn’t held to a high standard, they don’t learn and they wallow in mediocrity. I honestly think Tomlin is frightened to make somebody angry, so he does nothing in the spirit of being loyal to his players (see Players Coach).
Fear
Tomlin has this saying “We don’t live in our fears.” Well, when it comes to coaching hires, Tomlin is buried in his fears. I’ve never seen a coach that is so afraid to hire a coach that has actual proven experience. Instead, Tomlin hires from within. He hires the horrible Todd Haley as the offensive coordinator because he has family ties to the organization. Then, he fires Haley and hires the totally unqualified quarterback coach. Then he fires the totally unqualified quarterback coach and replaces him with another completely inept … quarterback coach. And, the merry-go-round goes around and around.
I’m sorry, but this indicates one thing and one thing only. Tomlin is afraid of being out-coached and exposed. That is a fatal flaw. In my career, I have learned to hire somebody that is actually smart (and maybe even smarter than me) because you stand a good chance of being promoted and/or to be more successful. You can’t “live in your fears” or you’ll never succeed.
Chase and Cam
There is no one player who epitomizes the state of the Steelers more than wide receiver Chase Claypool. If I remember correctly, Claypool stated that he would be a top three receiver this season. In five games, Claypool has 16 catches for 129 yards. In contrast, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis had 3 catches for 171 yards yesterday. If Claypool was held accountable and was focused on improving, maybe someday he can live up to his potential. And, Tomlin does nothing. Mostly because he has destroyed his roster and has nobody behind Claypool.
Cam Heyward plays like a gladiator. And, he is a football player in the old mold. I love watching him. But, he looks exhausted late in games. Heyward plays his best, but Tomlin has no strategy to keep him fresh. Again, because he has decimated the roster with average talent. If it keeps going like it is, I wouldn’t be surprised if Heyward retires after this season. I have to believe he isn’t happy with Tomlin right now. How fun can it be to give it your all every week and lose over and over?
Conclusion
Tomlin is in his 16th season as head coach of the Steelers. They say that a coach’s message and style lasts only about ten years before a change is needed. Tomlin’s time has come. He needs a fresh start somewhere else. Since the Steelers management will never fire Tomlin, he should do the right thing and step down. He should do it for the team and the fans. If he doesn’t, this team is going to anguish in the bottom of the standings for a long, long time. It’ll become the new Pittsburgh Pirates.
