For 22 long years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have avoided a losing season. Coach Mike Tomlin has kept that streak alive for 19 of those years, a wild level of consistency in a league built for parity. But here’s the kicker: that “consistency” has actually become the biggest problem holding the franchise back, keeping them stuck in a cycle that’s infuriating their fanbase and preventing them from seriously competing.
Good Enough To Be Stuck
Look, it’s impressive that Tomlin can squeeze winning records out of teams that, honestly, often have no business winning more than they lose. You gotta respect that grind. The issue is, “just better than average” doesn’t get you a Lombardi trophy. This fanbase, spoiled by six championships, is over settling for it. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season. Think about that for a second! So, another eight or nine-win season isn’t proof they are close to contention, it’s proof they are absolutely stuck. That Week 3 win over Cincinnati might’ve given some false hope, but Thursday night in Cleveland was a cold splash of reality. They followed up their best performance with a mostly lifeless, predictable one. If you’ve been watching, you know this is exactly who Pittsburgh is: good enough to steal a few games, but not a team you’re taking seriously in January. Ever.
The Numbers Don’t Lie About Getting Better
What if the losing season Pittsburgh has spent all this time dodging is exactly what they need? Nobody at the facility wants to lose games, obviously. Players and coaches don’t operate that way, and just losing doesn’t guarantee anything. Plenty of bad teams stay bad. But here’s the real question: if this team isn’t good enough to truly contend, is squeezing out eight or nine wins really better than just accepting reality? Pittsburgh has confused avoiding the bottom with staying near the top, and they are not the same thing. Look at the 2025 playoff field. Every single team that made it in had posted a losing season within the previous seven years. Every one! That includes our own Seahawks, who had a losing season in 2021 before turning things around. The Steelers’ last losing season was way back in 2003, more than two decades ago. That’s the season, by the way, when they went 6-10 and then drafted Ben Roethlisberger, who led them to division titles and Super Bowls. That’s not where they are anymore.
Right now, Pittsburgh needs to face the music. Are they willing to break this “better than average” spell to truly chase greatness again? Or are they content to just float in the middle, avoiding the bottom but never reaching the top? Their future depends on it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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