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Western Pennsylvania is a sports haven with all the sports action a fan could dream of. You have NFL football and the tradition of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the NHL and an equal history of championships and Hall of Fame players of the Pittsburgh Penguins, MLB baseball with the Five-Time World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates, professional soccer with the champion Pittsburgh Riverhounds, three major universities in Pitt, Duquesne, and Robert Morris, and WPIAL high school sports that have produced so many legendary players. Mike Drakulich (@PghSportsNation) of NGSCSports brings you a weekly commentary focusing on the hot topics of the Pittsburgh sports landscape, and analysis of this week’s events. Jack Handy may have brought you deep thoughts… he just tells it like it is.
A day many thought would never come, finally did.
Mike Tomlin is no longer head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It felt like no matter what the outcome of any season was, Tomlin had a lifetime contract, and sadly, apathy had truly set in among the fan-base.
The best anyone could wish for was another winning season, maybe a playoff berth, followed by being massacred by whomever they faced in the playoffs.
That was the new standard. Not winning playoff games and winning Super Bowls… achieving a winning season.
I don’t know about you, but this isn’t Cleveland or the New York Jets, where simply finishing above .500 is considered a huge accomplishment.
This is Pittsburgh, where we expect the best from our teams (Pirates aside) and the standard was competing for Championships year in and year out.
January 15th, 2017, was the last time the Steelers won a playoff game, when they defeated Kansas City 18-16.
Since then, they’re 0-7, being outscored 260-154.
That’s utterly ridiculous.
It was well past time for Tomlin to go.
That doesn’t throw shadows on his achievements. He did lead the Steelers to a Super Bowl XLIII victory over Arizona 27-23. He did go 19 seasons in a row without a losing season. His players both loved and respected him. He will be enshrined in Canton one day as a Hall of Fame Coach.
But the NFL is a “What have you done for me lately?” league now.
Going nearly a decade without a playoff win is unacceptable.
The majority of the blame falls on Tomlin. No matter what changes were made to the coaching staff, or roster, the result had been the same since Ben Roethlisberger injured his elbow… mediocrity.
Mediocrity is what happens when you micromanage both your offensive and defensive coordinators.
Make no mistake about it, since Dick LeBeau retired, this was Tomlin’s defense.
On offense, he coerced his coordinators like Matt Canada and Arthur Smith into playing a conservative, never make a mistake style of football, that could’ve been the cure to insomnia.
Tomlin’s philosophy was to grind it out on offense, don’t turn the ball over, play defense just good enough to make it a rock fight and steal the game away late in the 4th quarter.
You can’t win that way today.
You can’t expect to instill fear into your opponents when your offense hasn’t scored more than seven points in the first quarter in 70 games.
The 30-6 beating the Steelers got from Houston last week had to make you sick.
You felt even sicker thinking there was no end in sight.
However, the sun did come up the next day, as did the return of hope and new expectations, when the news of Tomlin stepping down occurred.
It’s time for new leadership, and for someone to lead the Steelers back to raising Lombardi Trophies.
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As for the upcoming search for who will be the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I say trust the process.
The Steelers model for hiring a head coach is unmatched.
By the age when hired and tenures of Chuck Noll (37), Bill Cowher (34), and Mike Tomlin (34), I really have no desire to hire a retread.
Some names that have my full attention:
Chris Shula, DC of the Rams. (39 years old)
Klint Kubiak, OC Seattle. (38 years old)
Mike LaFleur, OC Rams. (38 years old)
Jesse Minter, DC Chargers. (42 years old)
Joe Brady, OC Bills. (36 years old)
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My choice to lead the Steelers into the promised land is LA Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula.
You witnessed what he was able to do with a $71 million dollar defense he had with the Rams. I could only dream of what he could do with the talent Pittsburgh has on defense. Not to mention, it’s highly likely he’d bring Rams Passing Game Coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase to Pittsburgh to be his offensive coordinator.
This, with Shula hiring someone like Raheem Morris as his defensive coordinator, would be a dream scenario.
To hell with Spring and Summer, I’d be ready for July and Training Camp tomorrow.
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The best part of someone like Shula coming to Pittsburgh is a fresh new perspective, and him elevating the play of his roster with concepts and schemes not based in the past.
How many times did you hear players like Patrick Queen and others complaining about the lack of communication and execution, from players not being where they were supposed to be on defense?
Breakdown after breakdown, offensive players running wide open across the middle, poor tackling, and constant missed assignments.
Shula is a guy who will look at the tape and ask what the hell were they thinking when the former coaching staff put together these concepts and game plans.
The right hire could propel the Pittsburgh defense to finally live up to their lofty expectations.
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I’m perplexed here. I keep hearing on how there’s NO quarterbacks via the Draft or free agency that would make the 2026 Pittsburgh Steelers better…
Malik Willis.
That’s the guy.
The player that kid has become since being drafted is night and day under the tutelage of Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur.
Willis is the guy I target and sign to be the next quarterback of the Steelers.
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I also keep hearing from some in the local media on how the Steelers need to “tear it all down” and start from scratch.
These people are insane.
This team is not far off. The Steelers have plenty of young players that make up the core of this team.
What they need is a new hotshot coach like Shula, who brings in a brilliant offensive mind like Scheelhaase.
You sign Malik Willis as your new quarterback.
Your offensive line is young and getting better by the year. Center Zach Frazier, guard Mason McCormick, and tackle Troy Fautanu are set in stone. Do you bring back guard Issac Seumalo or replace him? As much criticism Broderick Jones got, I thought he turned the corner before he got injured. Dylan Cook was solid in replacing him.
You have Jaylen Warren at running back. Why would you not bring back Kenneth Gainwell? Kaleb Johnson should be in the mix in 2026.
At wide receiver you have D.K. Metcalf and not much else. That is what the new HC, Omar Khan, and Andy Weidl have to focus on improving through the draft and maybe free agency. The best out there is George Pickens, and you know he isn’t coming here, but someone like Alec Pierce or Rashid Shaheed would suffice. Heck, maybe Wen’Dale Robinson.
With 14 picks in the draft, find me some talent.
At tight end, you have Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, and Darnell Washington all returning.
I’m confident a guy like Scheelhaase would utilize and elevate every player on this offense, unlike the snooze fest we’ve watched for years under Canada and Smith. Just look at how the Rams used their three tight ends this season, and you’ll see what I mean.
On defense, as I wrote earlier… a guy like Shula will make that unit better simply with an updated scheme.
I would not hesitate to trade T.J. Watt and that God awful contract, but maybe Shula or whomever, starts moving Watt around and starts getting high impact results again.
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That’s all I got for this week. More thoughts on the Steelers in the coming weeks, especially when the new hire is made, along with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Pitt basketball, as they try to turn their season around as ACC play begins.
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From Midland, "The Basketball Capital of Pennsylvania", located 35 miles NW of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. This former steel town was home to storied athletes such as Dave Alston, Norm Van Lier, Simmie Hill, and the legendary 1965 Midland High School Basketball Team.
There's nowhere on earth that is more dedicated to its sports teams like Western Pennsylvania and the city of Pittsburgh. The passion and pride of Pittsburgh's fan base is second to no one. From the NFL, NHL, MLB, NCAA football and basketball, to W.P.I.A.L. high school sports, "The City of Champions" has it all!
As Editor of Pittsburgh SportsNation, Mike Drakulich provides top notch opinions and coverage of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pitt Panthers football & basketball, Robert Morris Colonials basketball, and Duquesne Dukes basketball, as well as all sports teams that represent Western Pennsylvania, including WPIAL High School Football.
For a refreshing view of sports, mixed with humor and uncensored opinions, check out Pittsburgh SportsNation today on Facebook, Twitter @PghSportsNation and videos with over 1,000,000 views on YouTube!
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