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Report: Steelers minority owners will lobby to fire head coach Mike Tomlin

Posted at 6:31 PM, Jan 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-16 18:32:38-05

Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – In 11 seasons as Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin has never suffered a losing season. However, he is reportedly on the losing end of a vote of confidence from Steelers partners.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports some of the team’s minority owners intend to lobby team owner Art Rooney to fire Tomlin and hire a new head coach.

Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Florio, citing a source, says the limited partners who became involved nearly a decade ago, are “particularly miffed” with Tomlin’s performance with “situational football” and the team’s inability to get back to the Super Bowl. While these partners have no authority to hire or fire anyone, Florio says they do have a pipeline to team owner Art Rooney and plan to use it.

Tomlin, a Hampton native (Denbigh High School) and William and Mary alumnus, has led Pittsburgh to a 116-and-60 record in the regular season – the second best (New England) mark in the NFL during that time span. Tomlin’s .659 regular season winning percentage is the second best (Bill Belichick, New England) among active NFL head coach (minimum 50 games).

However, Tomlin has lost five of his last eight playoff games – failing to reach the Super Bowl since 2010. In 2008, he became the youngest head to ever win a world title, when he guided the Steelers to his first of two appearances in the big game.