40 million a year

[Fk_Pitt]

If you go back to really early threads on RW/JF, many people including myself thought it was stupid because they weren't "a QB away". And a year later, they would be in same situation- needing another bargain basement patch at QB. The move is shrewd if they have no interest in ever winning another championship.

Personally I thought Russ would be better than Kenny, simply due to having a better coordinator, a better OL, and regardless of what anyone thinks, his experience and some degree of HOF pedigree left.

I was wrong.

That said, Russ threw for 400 yards against cincy on the road, and then at home this week Tomlin decides to live in his fears and go with a conservative offensive game plan. He admitted to it in his press conference.

The QB problem in Pittsburgh starts with the HC due to his philosophy of offensive football.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

The way Pickett played and acted, there is literally only one positive reason for Steelers fans to still have wanted him here. Right now we wouldn’t have to hear about Tomlin’s streak of non-losing seasons anymore.

What the hell are you talking about? The Steelers lost every game Mitch played last year. Take away those games and the Steelers aren’t anywhere near .500.

 

[NCanton Panther]

What the hell are you talking about? The Steelers lost every game Mitch played last year. Take away those games and the Steelers aren’t anywhere near .500.

What are you talking about, what does Mitch have to do at all with how Pickett played and acted?

 

[joeydavid]

What are you talking about, what does Mitch have to do at all with how Pickett played and acted?

You never answered the question from above. How did he act?

 

[Fk_Pitt]

What are you talking about, what does Mitch have to do at all with how Pickett played and acted?

You said with Kenny, Tomlin’s winning record streak would go away. But when Kenny played and was healthy, the Steelers won at a high clip. Below .500 wasn’t even in play. So your comment was just silly.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Btw, the non losing season thing is such a smoke and mirrors media created phenomenon. If three 8-8 seasons are non losing seasons…aren’t they also non winning seasons?

 

[PittPharm2002]

Personally I thought Russ would be better than Kenny, simply due to having a better coordinator, a better OL, and regardless of what anyone thinks, his experience and some degree of HOF pedigree left.

I was wrong.

That said, Russ threw for 400 yards against cincy on the road, and then at home this week Tomlin decides to live in his fears and go with a conservative offensive game plan. He admitted to it in his press conference.

The QB problem in Pittsburgh starts with the HC due to his philosophy of offensive football.

Did you see how Russ was throwing the ball the last few games ?

That’s why we ran so much - the qb is washed
When the qb is good to great we throw more , like we did for a decade with Ben

 

[PittPharm2002]

Btw, the non losing season thing is such a smoke and mirrors media created phenomenon. If three 8-8 seasons are non losing seasons…aren’t they also non winning seasons?

Yet it’s very rare for any coach to achieve it over a long time .

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Did you see how Russ was throwing the ball the last few games ?

That’s why we ran so much - the qb is washed
When the qb is good to great we throw more , like we did for a decade with Ben

Well, #1, he didn’t have your boy George. And while George isn’t great, without him we go from a bad WR room to an epically bad WR room. Heck we might still be epically bad with him, so I don’t even know how to describe the room without him. Dan Marino would struggle.

And #2, at the first sign of a turnover, Tomlin resorts back to who he is in his core, a ball control, take no risk coach. And when that happens, you’re not going to score points when you’re not being aggressive and pushing the ball down the field. And then when the defense doesn’t win the turnover battle because the ball is on the ground is a completely random occurrence who falls on it, and you’re not always going to have the same luck that you had earlier in the year. It evens out, the other team gets the bounces too, and when you’re playing good teams, you have no shot at winning.

Frankly I would love to see tomlin buck his natural instincts, not live in his fears, and have Smith open up the game completely on Saturday. What does he have to lose? We don’t have the horses running routes…but a ball control, no risk game plan is not a good strategy vs the MVP of the league either. And maybe they can evaluate better whether to sign Russ.

 

[pittdan77]

Well, #1, he didn’t have your boy George. And while George isn’t great, without him we go from a bad WR room to an epically bad WR room. Heck we might still be epically bad with him, so I don’t even know how to describe the room without him. Dan Marino would struggle.

And #2, at the first sign of a turnover, Tomlin resorts back to who he is in his core, a ball control, take no risk coach. And when that happens, you’re not going to score points when you’re not being aggressive and pushing the ball down the field. And then when the defense doesn’t win the turnover battle because the ball is on the ground is a completely random occurrence who falls on it, and you’re not always going to have the same luck that you had earlier in the year. It evens out, the other team gets the bounces too, and when you’re playing good teams, you have no shot at winning.

Frankly I would love to see tomlin buck his natural instincts, not live in his fears, and have Smith open up the game completely on Saturday. What does he have to lose? We don’t have the horses running routes…but a ball control, no risk game plan is not a good strategy vs the MVP of the league either. And maybe they can evaluate better whether to sign Russ.

Tomlin admitted in the presser that he decided to not throw the ball like they did in the first meeting because he wanted to minimize turnovers. That was the game plan. Of course he said that right after bragging that they don't "live in their fears".

Wilson's stats pretty much leveled out to where he played last season when the Broncos decided to just bench him and write him a check to leave. The argument when he came in was that Denver wasn't any good but we're seeing that was probably not completely true. Right now, most of his success is rooted in the occasional big play because the offense is just so conservative but he's also been a little wildly inaccurate when under pressure.

 

[lilspainishflea]

Tomlin admitted in the presser that he decided to not throw the ball like they did in the first meeting because he wanted to minimize turnovers. That was the game plan. Of course he said that right after bragging that they don't "live in their fears".

Wilson's stats pretty much leveled out to where he played last season when the Broncos decided to just bench him and write him a check to leave. The argument when he came in was that Denver wasn't any good but we're seeing that was probably not completely true. Right now, most of his success is rooted in the occasional big play because the offense is just so conservative but he's also been a little wildly inaccurate when under pressure.

Tomlin is basically a spiritual guru or a wellness influencer at this point. He's selling obviously fake remedies but doing it with enough panache to maintain the rubes' complete and total confidence. It helps that the rubes want to be lied to. They simply couldn't bear it if their beloved Steelers were just another football team.

 

[pittdan77]

Tomlin is basically a spiritual guru or a wellness influencer at this point. He's selling obviously fake remedies but doing it with enough panache to maintain the rubes' complete and total confidence. It helps that the rubes want to be lied to. They simply couldn't bear it if their beloved Steelers were just another football team.

The irony of that statement is that they've basically become just another football team. The Steelers have won 3 playoff games in the last ten years. Broncos, Falcons, Jags, Titans, Saints, and Texans also all have 3 playoff wins a piece. There isn't anything special going on here anymore.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Tomlin admitted in the presser that he decided to not throw the ball like they did in the first meeting because he wanted to minimize turnovers. That was the game plan. Of course he said that right after bragging that they don't "live in their fears".

Wilson's stats pretty much leveled out to where he played last season when the Broncos decided to just bench him and write him a check to leave. The argument when he came in was that Denver wasn't any good but we're seeing that was probably not completely true. Right now, most of his success is rooted in the occasional big play because the offense is just so conservative but he's also been a little wildly inaccurate when under pressure.

He also gets passes over the middle batted .
When he was fresh he was a nice improvement over fields
Now he’s making mistakes that a veteran qb shouldn’t

 

[PittPharm2002]

Tomlin is basically a spiritual guru or a wellness influencer at this point. He's selling obviously fake remedies but doing it with enough panache to maintain the rubes' complete and total confidence. It helps that the rubes want to be lied to. They simply couldn't bear it if their beloved Steelers were just another football team.

Art 2 doesn’t care
They are filling the stadium

 

[pittdan77]

He also gets passes over the middle batted .
When he was fresh he was a nice improvement over fields
Now he’s making mistakes that a veteran qb shouldn’t

He's a run first QB who is pretending to be a pocket QB to extend his career.

 

[PittPharm2002]

He's a run first QB who is pretending to be a pocket QB to extend his career.

He’s always been , his mobility was a requirement to find passing lanes because of his height .
He’s never been a Lamar type .

Father Time is undefeated for a reason

 

[Panther Parrothead]

He’s always been , his mobility was a requirement to find passing lanes because of his height .
He’s never been a Lamar type .

Father Time is undefeated for a reason

All true. But no quarterback looks respectable behind a really bad offensive line.

We can only speculate, but IMHO the Lamar who plays behind the Ravens’ line would be a bust in a 2024/25 Steelers uniform.

 

[PittPharm2002]

All true. But no quarterback looks respectable behind a really bad offensive line.

We can only speculate, but IMHO the Lamar who plays behind the Ravens’ line would be a bust in a 2024/25 Steelers uniform.

Nah
Lamar is a helluva passing qb

 

[Usuallyunusual-partdeux]

What the hell are you talking about? The Steelers lost every game Mitch played last year. Take away those games and the Steelers aren’t anywhere near .500.

Exactly

 

[Pittisit4me]

Personally I thought Russ would be better than Kenny, simply due to having a better coordinator, a better OL, and regardless of what anyone thinks, his experience and some degree of HOF pedigree left.

I was wrong.

That said, Russ threw for 400 yards against cincy on the road, and then at home this week Tomlin decides to live in his fears and go with a conservative offensive game plan. He admitted to it in his press conference.

The QB problem in Pittsburgh starts with the HC due to his philosophy of offensive football.

Every problem with the Steelers is due to the head coaches philosophy. He has a say in personnel. He is the defacto DC. He lives in his fears by refusing to hire an OC who will open it up and play modern NFL football. To top it all off, he needs to be liked by his players and let's them run the asylum. As a result, you get a conservative approach that puts tons of pressure on your overrated and overpaid defense and it can't hold up. Worse yet, while failing at the football part, he is often dealing with the discipline problems that he creates by letting guys like Pickens, AB, and Claypool run wild.

I just heard on the radio that same thing I've been hearing for years. They were reminding everyone how if he was fired or stepped down here he would have teams clamoring for his services the next day. What in the hell would possibly make another NFL team want to hire this smooth talking fraud??? If you want to win anything in this league, the last 9 years should be more than enough proof to avoid Tomlin like the plague. He won a superbowl with Cowher's players and has since turned them into a woefully average team.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Every problem with the Steelers is due to the head coaches philosophy. He has a say in personnel. He is the defacto DC. He lives in his fears by refusing to hire an OC who will open it up and play modern NFL football. To top it all off, he needs to be liked by his players and let's them run the asylum. As a result, you get a conservative approach that puts tons of pressure on your overrated and overpaid defense and it can't hold up. Worse yet, while failing at the football part, he is often dealing with the discipline problems that he creates by letting guys like Pickens, AB, and Claypool run wild.

I just heard on the radio that same thing I've been hearing for years. They were reminding everyone how if he was fired or stepped down here he would have teams clamoring for his services the next day. What in the hell would possibly make another NFL team want to hire this smooth talking fraud??? If you want to win anything in this league, the last 9 years should be more than enough proof to avoid Tomlin like the plague. He won a superbowl with Cowher's players and has since turned them into a woefully average team.

Well it takes the right coach at the right time to win a Super Bowl and he was the right guy for that team and all of those HOFers and egos. Can’t knock him for winning with another guys players. But he also won with the other guys coaches, which doesn’t get talked about enough.

On the radio tonight someone brought up a good point. And maybe you heard the same thing. We assume someone will hire him. But who in the right mind would put him in charge of their young QB? Most teams looking for coaches have young QBs or will need one in the draft. Owners aren’t always the brightest guys…but who in their right mind would want Tomlin coaching their franchise QB?

Tomlin can succeed again but it would have to be the right situation, as it was here 17 years ago.

 

[pittdan77]

On the radio tonight someone brought up a good point. And maybe you heard the same thing. We assume someone will hire him. But who in the right mind would put him in charge of their young QB? Most teams looking for coaches have young QBs or will need one in the draft. Owners aren’t always the brightest guys…but who in their right mind would want Tomlin coaching their franchise QB?

Tomlin can succeed again but it would have to be the right situation, as it was here 17 years ago.

The notion that there would be a bidding war over Tomlin is a really stupid reason to cling to him. We all know that the national media will tear the franchise to threads for letting Tomlin go so I'm sure that plays into the thinking.

I saw Kaboly pushing the narrative of "what happens if he wins Saturday"? To me, nothing. Dude has gotten gifts in the post season before. Harbaugh choking this one up wouldn't shock anyone but he might actually get canned over a loss. Tomlin won't.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

The notion that there would be a bidding war over Tomlin is a really stupid reason to cling to him. We all know that the national media will tear the franchise to threads for letting Tomlin go so I'm sure that plays into the thinking.

I saw Kaboly pushing the narrative of "what happens if he wins Saturday"? To me, nothing. Dude has gotten gifts in the post season before. Harbaugh choking this one up wouldn't shock anyone but he might actually get canned over a loss. Tomlin won't.

This is what Tomlin apologists don’t understand. Both things can be true. He can be a good coach, and not be the right coach for this job any more. It happens all the time with leaders…whether in business and/or sports.

 

[PittPharm2002]

This is what Tomlin apologists don’t understand. Both things can be true. He can be a good coach, and not be the right coach for this job any more. It happens all the time with leaders…whether in business and/or sports.

There no apologists
He’s going to the hall of fame
If ownership wants a change - they can make it and I won’t lose any sleep .

Except for guvmit, where folks love a retread

 

[pittdan77]

This is what Tomlin apologists don’t understand. Both things can be true. He can be a good coach, and not be the right coach for this job any more. It happens all the time with leaders…whether in business and/or sports.

I'll be honest, I think the Steelers have always done well with insulating Tomlin with cap moves and manipulating things in the interest of protecting talent for as long as they could. I think they've also done what they can to keep staff from leaving. I don't necessarily buy that they are cheap in that regard. And that's why I think they made Omar Khan the media front man for personnel decisions. They've run out of coaches and they haven't drafted well enough to have talent to protect so it will be Khan that gets the blame if the Steelers don't draft well or go find the diamonds in the rough. It never lands in Tomlin's lap. The narrative is that he's this genius who always has one arm tied behind his back.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

There no apologists
He’s going to the hall of fame
If ownership wants a change - they can make it and I won’t lose any sleep .

Except for guvmit, where folks love a retread

1) you might be right about there being no apologists. Even some of his biggest supporters in the national media have soured.

2). How is his HOF induction relevant to the discussion? Unless it’s your cheeky way as an apologist of dropping it into the discussion just to remind everyone that the Steelers would be moving on from a HOFer. Don’t franchises move on from HOFers all the time?

3) why do we care if you lose sleep or not?

4) and your political baiting is tiresome. No one’s interested.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

I'll be honest, I think the Steelers have always done well with insulating Tomlin with cap moves and manipulating things in the interest of protecting talent for as long as they could. I think they've also done what they can to keep staff from leaving. I don't necessarily buy that they are cheap in that regard. And that's why I think they made Omar Khan the media front man for personnel decisions. They've run out of coaches and they haven't drafted well enough to have talent to protect so it will be Khan that gets the blame if the Steelers don't draft well or go find the diamonds in the rough. It never lands in Tomlin's lap. The narrative is that he's this genius who always has one arm tied behind his back.

Yes but Rooney can buck the trend and grow the size of the coaching/support staff. A flagship franchise for the league shouldn’t have the smallest coaching staff and appear cheap. And maybe pay some real top assistants to lure them here whether Coach T wants them or not.

 

[Pittisit4me]

This is what Tomlin apologists don’t understand. Both things can be true. He can be a good coach, and not be the right coach for this job any more. It happens all the time with leaders…whether in business and/or sports.

Can he be a good coach again considering his backward philosophy? I don't think that run the ball and play defense will get you to the top anymore. I guess if he was brought into a situation like, Philadelphia, or Buffalo, or Kansas City he might succeed. That said, I don't think you can trust him to build anything from the ground up. Franchises looking for a new head coach need a builder who hires good coordinators and develops players. These qualities are not the qualities he brings to the table. He didn't build anything here. Cowher left him a stocked cupboard. That cupboard is no longer full. It is quite possible that the game has passed Mike Tomlin by. It happened to Chuck Noll too.

 

[pittdan77]

Yes but Rooney can buck the trend and grow the size of the coaching/support staff. A flagship franchise for the league shouldn’t have the smallest coaching staff and appear cheap. And maybe pay some real top assistants to lure them here whether Coach T wants them or not.

Is that Rooney or Tomlin? Tomlin is the one supposed to be hiring staff. If he doesn't want guys that will tell him to go away when he wants to turtle up and abandon the passing game during a losing streak, it's probable that he doesn't want a bigger staff. This guy just has to go cry a little about needing more coaches or analysts and the whole world will be shoving microphones under Rooney's nose to ask why.

 

[Pittisit4me]

Yes but Rooney can buck the trend and grow the size of the coaching/support staff. A flagship franchise for the league shouldn’t have the smallest coaching staff and appear cheap. And maybe pay some real top assistants to lure them here whether Coach T wants them or not.

I am convinced Tomlin doesn't want coaches who are respected or will be good enough to steal credit from him. I think he is a glory hound and wants everyone to bow down to him, much the way the national media has for years. How else can one explain his lack of any coaching tree?

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Is that Rooney or Tomlin? Tomlin is the one supposed to be hiring staff. If he doesn't want guys that will tell him to go away when he wants to turtle up and abandon the passing game during a losing streak, it's probable that he doesn't want a bigger staff. This guy just has to go cry a little about needing more coaches or analysts and the whole world will be shoving microphones under Rooney's nose to ask why.

Well it’s not working.

Rooney finally said last year that the status quo wasn’t good enough. Playoff wins are the expectation. So if things aren’t working, isn’t it up to him, as the boss, to mandate and approve a real NFL staff? And if the coach doesn’t like it, he can hit the pavement?

 

[pittdan77]

Well it’s not working.

Rooney finally said last year that the status quo wasn’t good enough. Playoff wins are the expectation. So if things aren’t working, isn’t it up to him, as the boss, to mandate and approve a real NFL staff? And if the coach doesn’t like it, he can hit the pavement?

I think it's up to Rooney to put Tomlin on notice and make sure he has the resources to have a real NFL staff. It's up to Tomlin to execute. If Tomlin doesn't execute then it's up to Rooney to pull the trigger to get rid of Tomlin and find someone else who will show some results.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Well it’s not working.

Rooney finally said last year that the status quo wasn’t good enough. Playoff wins are the expectation. So if things aren’t working, isn’t it up to him, as the boss, to mandate and approve a real NFL staff? And if the coach doesn’t like it, he can hit the pavement?

He won’t make a change .
He’s happy with his revenue

 

[Pittisit4me]

He won’t make a change .
He’s happy with his revenue

It is possible than Rooney is morphing into another Bob Nutting. Winning is no longer paramount. A full wallet supercedes all else.

 

[PittPharm2002]

It is possible than Rooney is morphing into another Bob Nutting. Winning is no longer paramount. A full wallet supercedes all else.

It’s true of all owners
In all sports

It’s why they don’t go out of pocket for stadium expenses

 

[steelcurtain55.]

There no apologists
He’s going to the hall of fame
If ownership wants a change - they can make it and I won’t lose any sleep .

Except for guvmit, where folks love a retread

Why would a HOF coach get rid of Kenny Pickett?

 

[PittPharm2002]

Why would a HOF coach get rid of Kenny Pickett?

Because the free veteran qb demanded it as part of signing ?
So if the decision is a super winning QB for feee , or a capable at best QB - who you can also flip for a 3rd round pick -
The calculus makes it pretty simple .

 

[pittbb80]

I think it's up to Rooney to put Tomlin on notice and make sure he has the resources to have a real NFL staff. It's up to Tomlin to execute. If Tomlin doesn't execute then it's up to Rooney to pull the trigger to get rid of Tomlin and find someone else who will show some results.

Tomlin has never complained about lack of resources so its clear that is not an issue thats holding him back. A guy with the stature of Tomlin would not be quiet if he though management was nickel and diming him on the resources needed to complete. He's not the wall flower some of his apologists make him out to be.

 

[303vND]

Tomlin has never complained about lack of resources so its clear that is not an issue thats holding him back. A guy with the stature of Tomlin would not be quiet if he though management was nickel and diming him on the resources needed to complete. He's not the wall flower some of his apologists make him out to be.

Tomlin would never make his complaints public.

 

[joeydavid]

Tomlin would never make his complaints public.

Didn't he just tell a WR that he needed to grow up during a press conference?