Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin had good news in a letter from the team owner.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are reeling after a first-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that showed how far they still have to go in their chase for championship number seven.
Owner Art Rooney's team has a lot of tough decisions to make this offseason, and whether or not to keep coach Mike Tomlin is arguably the biggest. It was recently revealed that the team is still considering its options with running back Najee Harris.
An extension for coach Mike Tomlin was also recently discussed.
Now that the offseason is almost in full swing, Rooney took some time to share his honest thoughts on Tomlin's potential future with the team (as well as a stern message regarding his expectations).
Rooney offers bold stance on Steelers and Tomlin's future
Ronnie II succeeded his father, Art, in ownership of the Steelers. He has been president of Pittsburgh's NFL team since 2003 and has owned it since 2017.
In an article posted on Steelers.com, he shared his deep thoughts on whether Tomlin still has what it takes to manage the team next year and beyond.
“I think the players are still responding to Mike. That's No. 1,” Rooney told the Pittsburgh Steelers' official website.
“He still has the core characteristics that we saw when we hired him. He can grab the attention of a group of 20-year-old players for an entire season, and keep them in the fight all the way through. I still feel good about Mike. Obviously if I didn't do that, we would have made a move.” “Change. If Mike couldn't lead us to a championship, he wouldn't be here. That's why he's here.”
Steelers championship drought
The Steelers have made the playoffs in 34 of their 89 NFL seasons, with six titles to their name.
Despite their status as one of the NFL's elite franchises, they haven't won a title since 2008, when Ben Roethlisberger and Tomlin led the way to a win over the Arizona Cardinals at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay.
Tomlin's team still has a long way to go to match the 2008 team, but Rooney seems encouraged that the legendary coach has what it takes to get the job done.
