Steelers Collapse in Second Half, Fans Voice Frustration as Pressure Mounts on Tomlin
For a moment, it looked like the Steelers were ready to flip the script. Up 7-3 midway through the second quarter against the Bills, the crowd at Acrisure Stadium had reason to believe this could be a turning point. Instead, what followed was one of the most lopsided home defeats of the Mike Tomlin era-and the home crowd let the team know it.
The second half was a nightmare for Pittsburgh. Outscored 23-0, outgained 256-96, and outplayed in every phase of the game, the Steelers unraveled in front of their own fans.
The boos started early and only got louder. Even the traditional playing of “Renegade” - usually a rallying cry - was met with jeers.
Then came the chants: “Fire Tomlin!”
Tomlin didn’t dodge the criticism after the game. “I share their frustration tonight,” he said.
“We didn’t do enough. That’s just the reality of it.”
That reality has been hard to ignore lately. Since starting 10-3 last season, the Steelers have gone just 6-11 over their last 17 games.
They dropped their final five games of the 2024 campaign, including a sixth straight playoff loss - a streak that now spans eight seasons. And while this year’s team jumped out to a promising 4-1 start, they’ve now dropped five of their last seven and find themselves trailing the 6-6 Ravens in the AFC North via tiebreaker.
Sunday’s collapse wasn’t just another loss - it felt like a breaking point. The Steelers were thoroughly outclassed after their early lead.
The offense stalled completely, committing two turnovers, failing on a fourth down, and managing just 96 total yards in the second half. On defense, they surrendered 249 rushing yards - the most Pittsburgh has allowed at home since moving into Acrisure Stadium.
It was a performance that left fans deflated and questioning the direction of a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016.
Much of the frustration centers around the quarterback position - and understandably so. The post-Roethlisberger era has been defined by inconsistency under center.
And while the Steelers have had elite talent on defense - with players like T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, and Minkah Fitzpatrick - that core has yet to taste postseason success together.
The inability to pair that defensive firepower with a steady hand at quarterback has kept the Steelers stuck in neutral, even as other AFC teams surge forward.
Still, Tomlin’s résumé speaks for itself. He’s never had a losing season in 19 years as head coach.
He’s a Super Bowl champion, a seven-time division winner, and widely regarded as one of the most respected figures in the game. He’s also shown a knack for rallying teams that looked dead in the water - and doing it with rosters that, on paper, didn’t have much business contending.
That said, patience is wearing thin in Pittsburgh. The playoff drought, the offensive struggles, and now a demoralizing home loss have fans wondering how much longer this current trajectory can continue.
Tomlin still has over two years left on his contract, and there’s no indication that the organization is ready to move on. But the noise is growing louder - and Sunday’s loss turned up the volume.
There’s still time for the Steelers to right the ship. A win next week in Baltimore could vault them back atop the AFC North.
But if they’re going to end this playoff win drought, they’ll need more than just a bounce-back performance. They’ll need answers - especially at quarterback - and they’ll need them fast.
Because in Pittsburgh, banners hang high, expectations run deep, and the standard hasn’t changed.