Ben Roethlisberger Questions Future of Coach Mike Tomlin with Steelers

Mike Tomlin's tenure as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers could be in jeopardy, according to former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. On the December 2 episode of his podcast, "Footbahlin," Roethlisberger expressed that it might be time for a change.

"It’s been talked around here a lot. Maybe it is time to clean the house," Roethlisberger stated, acknowledging his respect for Tomlin while suggesting that a separation could benefit both parties. "I like Coach Tomlin. I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin, but maybe it’s best for him too."

Roethlisberger, who spent 18 seasons with the Steelers, even proposed a potential new role for Tomlin at Penn State, highlighting the coach's recruiting prowess. "Maybe a fresh start for him is what is best," he added. "Do you know what he would do at Penn State? He would probably go win National Championships because he is a great recruiter."

In contrast, former teammate James Harrison offered a more critical perspective on Tomlin's coaching abilities. On his podcast, "Deebo and Joe," Harrison remarked, "I have never been a person that thought Coach Tomlin was a great coach. A good coach gets you to play to your potential. And right now, the players we have on that team I have seen play, they’re not playing up to their potential."

Since taking the helm in 2007, Tomlin has maintained a record of no losing seasons and led the Steelers to their last Super Bowl victory in 2009 against the Arizona Cardinals. However, the current season has seen the Steelers struggle, with a record of 6-6 and three losses in their last four games, including a disappointing 26-7 defeat to the Buffalo Bills on November 30.

Following the loss, which prompted boos from fans as the team exited the field, Tomlin addressed the situation. "Football is our game; we’re in a sport entertainment business," he said on December 2. "If you root for the Steelers, entertaining them is winning. And so when you’re not winning, it’s not entertaining."

Tomlin acknowledged the team's undisciplined performance against Buffalo, where they incurred five penalties totaling 67 yards. "I own the responsibility of making sure that these guys understand a component of being a tough team to beat is not beating ourselves," he stated. "We had some penalties... But penalties of the 15-yard variety, loss of composure and things of that nature hadn’t been us. And so that needs to be corrected immediately."