Mike Tomlinthe NFL’s longest-tenured head coach, may be nearing the end of his career in Pittsburgh, and a Steelers legend thinks it might be time.
Former quarterback Ben Roethlisbergerwho played his entire 18-year career with the Steelers, suggested on the Tuesday, Dec. 2 episode of his “Footbahlin‘” podcast that a divorce might be best for both parties.
“There’s been a lot of talk around here. Maybe it’s time to clean house,” he suggested. “Maybe so, and I like coach Tomlin. I have a lot of respect for coach Tomlin, but maybe it’s better for him, too.”
Roethlisberger, 43, even suggested a possible landing spot for his former coach at one of college football’s most prestigious programs.
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“Maybe a fresh start for him is best,” he continued. “Whether it’s in the pros. He’s going to be the head coach at Penn State. You know what he’d do at Penn State? He’d probably win national championships because he’s a great recruiter.”
Roethlisberger’s former teammate, James Harrisonwas a bit harsher, saying he never considered Tomlin, 53, a “great coach.”
“I’ve never been a person who thought Coach Tomlin was a great coach,” Harrison said on the Monday, Dec. 1, episode of his “Deebo and Joe” podcast. “I thought he was a good (coach). … A good coach makes you play to your potential. And right now, the players we have on this team, I’ve seen them play, they’re not playing to their potential. A great coach makes you play to your potential.”
Tomlin has been the head coach of the Steelers since 2007 and has never had a losing season. In just his second year, he coached Pittsburgh to its most recent Super Bowl victory, defeating the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
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The 2025 Steelers are 6-6 on the season and have lost three of their last four, including a 26-7 loss against the Buffalo Bills at home on Sunday, November 30. Pittsburgh fans booed their team as they left the field.
“I generally agree with them, from that perspective: football is our game, we’re in a sports entertainment business,” Tomlin said. media about the booing on Tuesday, December 2. “And so if you’re rooting for the Steelers, entertaining them is winning. And so when you’re not winning, it’s not entertaining.”
“If you’ve been in this business, you understand that, and so I respect that,” he added. “I share frustrations, I understand what makes this thing go, and winning is what makes this thing go.”
Tomlin was also recognized for his team’s undisciplined play. In the loss to Buffalo, the Steelers were hit with five penalties that cost them 67 yards.
“I have a responsibility to make sure these guys understand that one component of being a tough team to beat is not beating ourselves,” he said. “We had some penalties and certainly you’re going to have penalties when you play. But penalties of the 15-yard variety, losing our composure and things of that nature weren’t us. And that needs to be corrected immediately.”