To define consistency, look no further than Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
Tomlin holds the ongoing record for the most consecutive non-losing seasons to begin a coaching career with 17. This is partially why he was rewarded with a contract extension this year, which will keep him around through the 2027 season.
NFL Insider Ian Rapoport explained on a recent episode of the “Chipped Ham and Football” podcast why he believes this might be far from Tomlin’s last extension with the Steelers.
“I would just say, for me, he’s going to have a Steelers job as long as he wants, as he should,” Rapport said. “And I don’t know, look, at some point, it’s the end for everyone, and at some point, Mike Tomlin will know.
“But I just haven’t sensed him losing energy, losing patience, or not liking it as much. Those are the things you sort of can sense, but with Tomlin, I don’t get any of it. So I was not surprised he got an extension.”
It’s understandable why the Steelers would continue with Tomlin at the helm, but his consistency may not lead them to another Super Bowl.
If he is able to lead the Steelers to the No. 7 seed or a 9-8 record, it typically won’t amount to anything meaningful. Instead, it may benefit Pittsburgh more in the long term to finish with one of the NFL’s worst records in order to put the team in a spot where it can land a top quarterback prospect in the NFL Draft.
The Steelers aren’t ready to endorse the idea of a losing season, but their potential starting quarterback, Russell Wilson, is known for mediocre campaigns in recent years.
