The message or the method? Why have playoff wins dried up for the Steelers?

When it comes to measuring success as it relates to the Pittsburgh Steelers, how long you have followed the team almost assuredly has something to do with your point of view. Since 2007, the perspective we have all viewed this team has been through the lens of Mike Tomlin as head coach.

Tomlin’s critics point to the team’s lack of playoff success as the ultimate measure of his skills so let’s look at that. Tomlin-led Steelers teams have made the playoffs 10 times in 16 seasons. Well above the league average. Tomlin has also coached two Super Bowl teams, winning one. There are still franchises that have never been to the Super Bowl, much less won one.

However, Tomlin’s critics look to the fact that Tomlin went to those two Super Bowls in years two and four with rosters built almost entirely by Bill Cowher.

Since that second Super Bowl season, Pittsburgh is 3-7 in the playoffs and has only made it to one conference championship game. A 36-17 loss to the New England Patriots. However, on the other side of it, Tomlin’s players all say he’s the ultimate coach to play for, will run through a wall for him, yada, yada, yada.

So if it isn’t the message, it might be the method. If the Steelers want to get back to the playoff winning ways, Tomlin needs to re-think a couple of parts of how he does business. First and foremost, in his hiring practices. No matter how great he is as a coach, he’s only as good as the coordinators he hires. When Brian Flores is the most high-profile addition you make, then you know there is room for improvement.

2023 is a perfect season for Tomlin to turn things around. There are gobs of young talent on the roster, motivated by Tomlin’s message. They just need more innovative and efficient coaching by the coordinators.

Let us know in the comments if you think Tomlin still has this team and what would you do to get this team back into the playoffs for a deep run to the Super Bowl.