PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are reeling once again following another embarrassing loss. The season is quickly slipping out of the Steelers’ hands, and the fanbase has responded with vitriol toward the roster and head coach Mike Tomlin. Things reached a fever pitch during their Week 13 loss, as the fanbase hurled “Fire Tomlin!” chants down on the team.
Following the loss, the Steelers players quickly came to their coach’s defense. Leaders like Aaron Rodgers and T.J. Watt spoke about accountability in the locker room and defended Tomlin’s coaching abilities and command of the team.
Even rookie linebacker Jack Sawyer took issue with the fans’ jeering and blaming of Tomlin. Speaking postgame, he said the players are the ones to blame for not performing, and the coach shouldn’t be scapegoated. He even went so far as to describe the calls for Tomlin as “BS.”
“Yeah, you’re frustrated because that’s BS when people are saying that, but we’re not playing up to our standard,” Sawyer said. “We need to take ownership as players and go out there and play a lot better.”
Aug 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Sawyer (33) reacts during player introductions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Who is to Blame?
While the Steelers’ locker room might not think Tomlin is the problem, that opinion isn’t shared outside of that room. The fact of the matter is that this team was built entirely in Tomlin’s image and making. The defensive moves to acquire Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay were supposed to fix their secondary. It didn’t.
They brought in Tomlin’s hand-picked starting quarterback in a washed up version of Aaron Rodgers. They swapped out a problematic figure in George Pickens for DK Metcalf at wide receiver. It’s led to their offense being just as pedestrian as it has been since Ben Roethlisberger retired.
Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner
Yes, the players have failed and need to be better. Watt has gone from elite to just good. Alex Highsmith can’t stay on the field. Metcalf’s dropped passes issue has resurfaced with a vengeance in 2025. Ramsey has taken a step back. The running backs, Jaylen Warren and Kenny Gainwell, are doing their best with nothing to work with. There’s plenty of blame worth lobbing on the players in the room.
But, ultimately, the buck stops with the head coach. If the entire roster is underperforming, who else is left to blame? Jack Sawyer might think it’s “BS” to suggest firing Tomlin, but with nowhere left to turn, it’s quickly becoming the Steelers’ only option.
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter for the latest news and updates on the Pittsburgh Steelers