Is It Time for a New Era in Pittsburgh? Roethlisberger Weighs In on Tomlin’s Future
It’s not often you hear a franchise icon openly question the future of a head coach who’s destined for Canton. But that’s exactly what happened this week when Ben Roethlisberger-two-time Super Bowl champ and lifelong Steeler-addressed the growing chatter in Pittsburgh: Is it time for Mike Tomlin and the Steelers to part ways?
Speaking on his podcast, Roethlisberger didn’t hold back. “Maybe it’s time,” he said.
“Maybe it’s ‘clean house’ time.” That’s a heavy statement coming from someone who shared a sideline with Tomlin for over a decade.
But it wasn’t said with malice-far from it. Roethlisberger made it clear that he still holds plenty of respect for Tomlin, calling him a Hall of Fame coach.
Instead, he framed the idea as a mutual reset, something that could benefit both sides.
“Maybe a fresh start for him is what’s best,” Roethlisberger said, even floating the idea of Tomlin heading to the college ranks-specifically Penn State, which remains without a head coach following the dismissal of James Franklin in October.
Let’s be clear: Tomlin’s résumé is elite. He’s compiled a 189-113-2 record, never posted a losing season, and has kept the Steelers competitive through roster turnover, quarterback changes, and shifting offensive philosophies. But as Roethlisberger pointed out, the results have started to feel familiar-maybe too familiar.
“We’ve had the same head coach in Coach Tomlin, different offensive coordinators, different defensive coordinators, but it’s kinda been the same story,” Roethlisberger said. “This looks a lot like Matt Canada’s offense… Where’s the splash?”
That’s been a recurring theme in Pittsburgh lately. The Steelers offense has struggled to find rhythm, identity, or explosiveness-regardless of who's calling plays. And while Tomlin has long been praised for his consistency and leadership, fans are growing restless with the lack of evolution, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Tomlin, for his part, hasn’t shied away from the criticism. When asked about hearing fans call for his departure, he responded with a smile and a dose of perspective: “Football is our game.
We're in the sport entertainment business.” In other words, he knows the stakes.
He knows this is a results-driven league. And he knows that in Pittsburgh, expectations don’t come with a grace period.
Roethlisberger also pointed out that even the legendary Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher eventually moved on from the Steelers. Tomlin is just four wins shy of surpassing Noll’s all-time franchise win total-a milestone that would cement his place in Steelers lore. But Big Ben’s question is a fair one: “Who’s that next guy that can be here for the next 20 years?”
That’s the heart of the conversation in Pittsburgh right now. Not whether Tomlin has been great-he has.
Not whether he’s respected-he absolutely is. But whether the franchise is ready to turn the page and start writing its next chapter.
And if that time is indeed approaching, the Steelers will have to make one of the toughest decisions in pro sports: moving on from a legend not because he failed, but because the story may have simply run its course.