Steelers president Art Rooney II isn't wavering in his confidence in head coach Mike Tomlin, despite a disappointing end to the 2024 season.
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"When you look at how many games Mike has won in this league, you don't win that many games if you're not a good coach," Rooney said, via ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "And I know he's frustrated like we all are in terms of not being able to take that next step, but we still feel good about him being the leader, and still think he has the strengths that he always had in terms of being able to lead a team."
Rooney's comments came amid growing frustration among fans and analysts as the Steelers ended the regular season on a five-game losing streak and saw their NFL playoff hopes fall short once again. Despite a strong regular-season record of 183-107-2, Tomlin's Steelers have not won a playoff game since 2016, and the team is now riding a six-game playoff losing streak.
"The other side of the coin is when you look at the fact that we have six, seven, eight teams a year that turn their coaches over," Rooney continued. "When you have a good coach, you just try to keep building with them."
While many teams shuffle head coaches year after year, the Steelers have remained loyal to Tomlin. The franchise has only had three head coaches since 1969, with Tomlin now set to return for a 19th season at the helm.
However, the lack of postseason success is undeniable, and Rooney acknowledged the mounting pressure on the team to improve. "It's fair to question it after losing five in a row," he admitted. "But when I talk to the players, I think the players still want to play for Mike. And so I'm not concerned about his message or that kind of an issue."
Still, it's clear that Rooney is feeling the heat as well, especially after another season that ended with disappointment. "My inbox has been pretty full lately," he said, with a knowing laugh. "Yeah, I have a sense. And look, I share their frustration. I mean it was very disappointing the way we ended the season, so I understand that. I understand why people are mad."
Rooney didn't sugarcoat the situation, acknowledging the team's need for improvement. "All I can say is actions speak louder than words, and we've got to be better." The road ahead is clear for Tomlin: with a full vote of confidence from ownership, the focus now shifts to finding a solution at quarterback and getting the Steelers back to their Super Bowl-winning ways.
