James Harrison Calls Out Mike Tomlin: “Good Coach, Not Hall of Fame”
James Harrison has never been one to bite his tongue, and this week was no different. The former Steelers linebacker, known as much for his punishing hits as his unfiltered opinions, took aim at his former head coach Mike Tomlin during a recent episode of the Deebo & Joe podcast. And let’s just say - he didn’t hold back.
Harrison’s central argument? Tomlin has been a good coach, but not a great one. And in Harrison’s eyes, that distinction matters when we start talking about the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“I can’t give him a Hall of Fame coach because he hasn’t made disciples,” Harrison said. “You’re telling me you’re a Hall of Fame coach, but no one has followed you? That can’t be the thing.”
Harrison is pointing to something that’s often overlooked in Hall of Fame debates: the coaching tree. It’s not just about wins and losses - it’s about legacy.
And in his view, Tomlin’s lack of a coaching tree is a red flag. While other legendary coaches have produced future head coaches and coordinators who’ve gone on to success elsewhere, Tomlin’s assistants haven’t landed top jobs around the league.
Compare that to Bill Cowher, Tomlin’s predecessor in Pittsburgh. Cowher’s coaching tree includes names like Bruce Arians, Ken Whisenhunt, Marvin Lewis, and Dick LeBeau - all of whom either became head coaches or respected coordinators.
That kind of coaching lineage adds weight to a résumé. Tomlin, by contrast, hasn’t seen his assistants rise through the ranks in the same way.
But Harrison didn’t stop there. He also took issue with Tomlin’s postseason track record.
“Wins and losses is great, but those wins and losses have to add up to championships,” Harrison said. “A Hall of Fame coach should be making history for having the longest losing streak in playoff history.”
That’s a direct shot at Tomlin’s 8-12 playoff record - a stat that’s been under the microscope in recent years. While Tomlin’s regular-season consistency is nearly unmatched - 19 straight non-losing seasons and 193 regular-season wins - the lack of postseason success is hard to ignore.
Harrison even rattled off the playoff records of some of the game’s all-time greats: George Halas (6-3), Don Shula (19-7), Paul Brown (9-8), Bill Belichick (31-13), Andy Reid (28-17). Then came the punchline:
“What’s Tomlin’s playoff record? … 8-12, brah. He’s 8-12.”
It’s a fair point. In a league where legacies are often defined in January and February, Tomlin’s recent playoff struggles - including the longest active playoff win drought in the NFL - have become a talking point. And Harrison doesn’t believe that kind of postseason resume belongs in Canton.
Still, even Harrison admits that the numbers might get Tomlin into the Hall anyway.
“I do believe he’ll get into the Hall because of the numbers. Do I believe he should be in there? No,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Harrison has voiced skepticism about Tomlin’s coaching chops. After the Steelers’ blowout loss to the Bills in Week 13, he questioned whether Tomlin was getting the most out of his roster.
“I have never been a person that thought Coach Tomlin was a great coach,” Harrison said on the same podcast. “I thought he was a good [coach]… A good coach gets you to play to your potential.
And right now, the players we have on that team, I have seen play, they’re not playing up to their potential. A great coach gets you to play to your potential.”
Harrison also brought up an old sore spot: when the Steelers drafted outside linebackers in back-to-back rounds after Joey Porter left, despite Harrison being slated to start. That moment, in his eyes, marked the beginning of a disconnect with Tomlin - one that never fully healed.
And then there’s the way Harrison’s Steelers career ended. He’s said before that he didn’t appreciate how Tomlin handled things late in his tenure. Harrison forced his way off the roster in 2017 and finished his career with the Patriots - a move that didn’t sit well with many in Pittsburgh.
Even outside the X’s and O’s, Harrison has taken issue with Tomlin’s leadership style.
“With Mike, the biggest thing I guess that I like about him is he is a player’s coach,” Harrison said on the Nightcap podcast with T.J. Houshmandzadeh. “And the thing that I dislike about him is he is a players’ coach to a point of, sometimes it can disrupt because it goes maybe a little too far with allowing certain things with certain players.”
That’s a nuanced take - and one that speaks to the delicate balance NFL coaches have to strike. Being a players’ coach can build trust and loyalty, but it can also lead to inconsistency if not managed carefully.
So where does all this leave Tomlin?
He’s still one of the most respected figures in the league. His ability to keep the Steelers competitive year after year - often with less-than-elite quarterback play - is something most franchises would kill for. But the playoff record, the lack of a coaching tree, and the absence of recent postseason success are all valid criticisms.
James Harrison isn’t trying to rewrite Tomlin’s résumé. He’s just challenging the idea that consistency alone equals greatness.
And in the eyes of one of the toughest players to ever wear black and gold, greatness - true Hall of Fame greatness - requires more than just regular-season wins. It requires legacy, championships, and impact that stretches beyond the sideline.
Right now, Harrison doesn’t see that in Mike Tomlin.