Last Monday, I was doing my podcast for Behind The Steel Curtain, when some joker came into the live chat and wrote something along the lines of: “The Steelers can’t fire Tomlin because of a race quota.”
When they asked the bartender about his thoughts on Mike Tomlin, he wasn’t over the top critical, but he did suggest that the coach’s time and message may have expired in Pittsburgh. But he also said — and this is what inspired me to write this here article — “You see, the Steelers really can’t fire Tomlin because of the Rooney Rule, but if they trade him, it really won’t look so bad.”
I was going to pipe up and tell him how foolish that thought-process was, but I didn’t want harm to come to my late-night dinner.
- Then, he went on to say a bunch of racist things before being kicked out of the conversation.

Would the Rooney Rule keep Art Rooney II from firing Mike Tomlin? Photo Credit: Chuck Cook, USA Today via 93.7 the Fan
- Besides, what good would it have done?
- The sentiment held by many is that if the Steelers fire Tomlin, they would look like hypocrites…or worse.
- That was only done for reasons to do with race.
- And, again, that’s why, according to so many, Tomlin could never, ever be fired. It would just look so darn bad.
- That’s just silly and a bit disrespectful to Dan, his son, everyone involved with the Steelers.
- They’re also frequently fired based on merit.
- And that’s what’s best for business.
Tony,thank you for this intelligent accurate article.
Thanks Ron,
Agreed. Tony did do a great job on this one.
Of course dan would say that. Look at the resume of the three final candidates at the time of Tomlin hiring. He was the least experienced. He was also the least successful. Maybe Art the second would go get the best coach available.
Mead,
Thanks for commenting. You’re right, Tomlin’s resume was thinner than the other finalists. Perhaps had Ron Rievera been available for a 2nd interview, things might have been different. I’m not sure it is correct to say “Tomlin was the least successful” or to suggest he was much less qualified.
For as much as I like Ken Whisenhunt he’s been fired multiple times since leaving Pittsburgh, which isn’t necessarily a knock on him because when he lost Kurt Warner, he suddenly wasn’t as good of a coach, just as Billy B. is a hell of a lot better coach with Tom Brady than he was with Vinney Testaverde.
As for Russ Grimm, he want with Whis to Arizona, but at some point the two had a falling out, and I don’t think he’s even in football anymore.
Mike Tomlin is an average coach. It will be interesting to see how does without a hall of fame quarterback.
Michael,
Thanks for contributing.
Mike Tomlin’s records speaks for itself. Rebuilding around a Hall of Fame QB isn’t easy — just ask Sean Peyton or Pete Carroll (among others.)