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Pittsburgh Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger suggested it may be time for the team to move on from head coach Mike Tomlin after 19 seasons.
Tomlin is the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL. During the Steelers’ 26-7 loss, fans booed and called for Tomlin’s job, and it appears Roethlisberger doesn’t disagree with the sentiment of the Steelers faithful.
“Maybe it’s time to clean house. Maybe it’s time,” Roethlisberger said on a recent episode of “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger.”
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) returns to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half during an AFC Wild Card Playoff football game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The match took place in Kansas City, Missouri on January 16, 2022. (Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports)
Roethlisberger, who played 15 of his 18 seasons under Tomlin, said he liked his old coach, but a fresh start might be what he needs.
“Maybe a fresh start for him is best. Whether it’s going to the pros, maybe becoming the head coach at Penn State. You know what he would do at Penn State? He’d probably go win national championships, because he’s a great recruiter,” Roethlisberger said.
Penn State still hasn’t hired a full-time head coach since firing James Franklin in October.
Roethlisberger isn’t the only Steelers legend to suggest a change might be necessary, as linebacker James Harrison said “something has to be done.”
“I never thought Coach Tomlin was a great coach,” Harrison said on his “Deebo and Joe” podcast.
STEELERS HEAD COACH MIKE TOMLIN GIVES SURPRISING ANSWER WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT FANS CALLING FOR HIS JOB
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin warms up for a game against the Buffalo Bills at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 30, 2025. (Barry Reeger/Imagn Images)
“I thought he was a good (coach). … A good coach gets you to play to your potential. And right now, the players that we have on this team that I’ve seen play, they’re not playing up to their potential. A great coach gets you to play to your potential.”
The Steelers are 6-6 and tied for first in the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens, but they have struggled as of late. They have lost five of their last seven games as their seemingly large lead in the division vanished.
The Steelers had a chance to win the division after a 4-1 start. The Ravens were 1-5 and the Cincinnati Bengals were struggling to find their footing after losing Joe Burrow, but now the Steelers’ path to the playoffs looks murkier than ever.
They took a 7-3 halftime lead against the Bills, but things quickly went downhill in the second half. On the first play from scrimmage, Bills rusher Joey Bosa ran over an unsuspecting Aaron Rodgers to force a fumble, which was recovered for a touchdown.
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The Bills never looked back and the Steelers offense never got anything going.
Although the outside noise regarding Tomlin’s job grew louder amid the team’s struggles, he never had a losing season as head coach. In 304 games, Tomlin has a record of 189-113-2.
The Steelers will look to silence the outside noise regarding Tomlin’s job when they face the Ravens in a crucial game Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
