‘Tomlin’s A Special Coach:’ Simms Says Steelers HC Finally Getting ‘Long Overdue’ Respect

It was only a year ago that the Pittsburgh Steelers were in the midst of a three-week freefall from 7-4 to 7-7. The Steelers appeared to be in full control of their playoff destiny after going 7-4 with matchups against two-winner teams in the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals. They dropped both and a game against the Indianapolis Colts to start. The calls for head coach Mike Tomlin to be run out of town were thunderous.

When the Steelers’ schedule came out this year, it wasn’t rosy. There was plenty of speculation that 2024 would be Tomlin’s last in Pittsburgh. At least that would be the end of his non-losing season streak.

What a difference a year makes. Now the Steelers are 8-2, fresh off a win over the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers have a chance to secure another undefeated season for Tomlin tonight and are in the driver’s seat for the AFC North title.

“Most of the media, the football world, everything has realized, Mike Tomlin is a special coach,” Chris Simms said on Thursday’s episode of Chris Simms unbuttoned. “I feel like it turned, like at the end of last year and now into this year, where there were Mike Tomlin’s haters and how dare they do better and all that, to where I think like smart minds have finally realized, wait, they weren’t that good some of these years, and he dragged them to the finish line to look good. And I feel like he’s finally getting a little more respect. And it’s long overdue.”

Tomlin’s detractors (and simply frustrated Steelers fans) point to his lack of playoff success. But what Simms is saying is that Tomlin has taken bad Steelers teams and won. So the lack of playoff success isn’t a Tomlin problem, he’s lifting bad teams.

Now, you could argue that Tomlin had a hand in creating those less-than-ideal teams. And you can certainly argue that Tomlin should have done more with the Killer Bs.

But what you can’t argue with is that the Steelers are 8-2 and are among the best teams in the AFC. Pundits expected the Steelers to be at the bottom of the AFC North, not the top. That’s why former NFL lineman Damien Woody says Tomlin is his choice for coach of the year.

Even current Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby believes Tomlin is coach of the year if the Steelers keep getting results. It’s not just the media that gives Tomlin respect, it’s the current players as well.

It’s really crazy how much of a difference a year can make. But that’s not what Mike Tomlin is focused on. He is only focused on the next game.