The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t just wobbling, they’re getting openly questioned by one of the most respected voices in football. When a Super Bowl–winning former head coach publicly suggests it might be time for Mike Tomlin to walk away, that’s not noise. That’s a warning flare. And it comes at a moment when Pittsburgh’s season has spiraled from inconsistent to flat-out embarrassing.
The Steelers’ defense, long the franchise’s stabilizing force, looks nothing like a Tomlin-coached unit. Missed tackles, busted assignments, blown leads, the hallmarks of a team losing its edge. The frustration isn’t limited to fans. Now, a heavyweight coach who spent decades evaluating winners and losers has stepped in and said the quiet part out loud.
Former Bucs HC Bruce Arians: “If I were Mike Tomlin, I would like to get out of Pittsburgh”
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach and two-time NFL Coach of the Year Bruce Arians delivered the headline-making message during a recent appearance on The Pat McAfeeShow. Arians didn’t dance around his opinion. He went straight for the core of the Steelers’ problem and Tomlin’s future.
“If I were Mike Tomlin, I would like to get out of Pittsburgh and start somewhere new,” Arians said. “He has done a great job there for years, but I’m totally shocked watching that Steelers defense.”
Arians didn’t question Tomlin’s resume; he praised it. But he made it clear that the Steelers’ current trajectory isn’t just a bad month; it’s a deeper structural decay that may not be fixable without sweeping changes. Coming from Arians, who worked directly with Tomlin when both were assistants in Pittsburgh, the message carries weight.
The Steelers’ defense has cratered across every major statistical category. According to NFL GSIS (Game Statistics & Information System) and Pro Football Reference’s 2025 defensive rankings, Pittsburgh is allowing 362 yards per game, placing them in the bottom five in total defense.
Their run defense, per ESPN Stats & Info and Pro Football Reference, has slipped to 130+ rushing yards allowed per game, putting them in 8th position league-wide. Explosive plays have also become a major issue. NFL Next Gen Stats lists the Steelers near the bottom tier in both runs of 10+ yards allowed and passes of 20+ yards allowed.
To talk about their third-down failures, they have remained a defining problem, with ESPN Team Efficiency metrics confirming opponents are converting over 42% of third downs. Even the pass rush has regressed; per TruMedia Sports and Pro Football Reference, Pittsburgh’s sack rate is now in the bottom half of the NFL. Overall, NFL GSIS scoring data shows the team allowing 24+ points per game, one of their worst marks in the Tomlin era.
The Steelers’ offense ranks just as poorly. Pittsburgh is averaging under 290 total yards per game, landing in the bottom five league-wide. Their scoring output (under 18 points per game, per Pro Football Reference) also places them among the NFL’s weakest offenses. The passing game continues to lag with under 190 yards per game, which also confirms their placement in the bottom six for explosive pass plays.
Red-zone efficiency has stalled at around 45%, documented by ESPN Red Zone Efficiency metrics. Their third-down conversion rate remains stuck near 35%. Offensive line issues appear, placing Pittsburgh in the bottom eight in pass-block efficiency.
These measurements come from the same data sources used by NFL broadcasts, networks, and analytics departments, confirming the Steelers have a bottom-10 defense and a bottom-five offense by league-standard metrics.
But Mike Tomlin isn’t the issue. He’s the only thing keeping the Steelers afloat. But the roster, the schemes, and the organizational direction are dragging him down. If Pittsburgh won’t modernize or rebuild around him, leaving might be the smartest move he can make. At this point, he deserves better than the mess he’s being asked to fix.
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