Steelers Eye Rare QB Playoff Streak as Tomlin Reaches Historic Milestone
The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the verge of doing something we haven’t seen in over two decades - and it’s the kind of stat that makes you sit up and take notice. If they clinch a playoff berth this season, they’ll become the first team since the 1999-2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make the postseason three years in a row with a different primary starting quarterback each time. That’s not just a quirky footnote - it’s a testament to resilience, adaptability, and a head coach who continues to keep his team in the thick of the AFC race, no matter the circumstances.
Let’s rewind the tape for a second. The Bucs cycled through Trent Dilfer, Shaun King, and Brad Johnson during that three-year stretch.
They managed to snag a playoff win during that run before breaking through in 2002 with a Super Bowl title. A young Mike Tomlin was part of that Tampa Bay coaching staff, working with the defensive backs from 2001 to 2005.
Fast forward to now, and he’s the architect behind Pittsburgh’s remarkable consistency - even as the quarterback carousel keeps spinning.
In 2023, it was Mason Rudolph who stepped in and led the Steelers to the postseason, with Kenny Pickett sidelined late in the year due to an ankle injury. Rudolph’s strong finish kept him under center, and though the Steelers bowed out in the Wild Card round against the Buffalo Bills, it was clear they had found a spark.
The year before? That was the Russell Wilson experiment.
Pittsburgh stumbled into the playoffs after dropping their final four regular season games and then fell to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round. It was a tough ending to a season that never quite found its rhythm.
Now, it’s Aaron Rodgers at the helm - and the stakes are high. The Steelers are sitting at 9-6 after a gritty win over the Detroit Lions, and they’re within striking distance of the AFC North crown.
All they need is a win over the Cleveland Browns this Sunday, or a little help from the Green Bay Packers, who face the division-leading Ravens on Saturday night. If things break right, Week 18’s showdown between Pittsburgh and Baltimore could be for all the marbles.
The quarterback storyline is fascinating, but it’s only part of the picture. With Sunday’s win, Mike Tomlin notched his 19th consecutive non-losing season - a streak that started the moment he stepped in as head coach back in 2007 and hasn’t let up since.
That’s not just impressive - it’s unprecedented. The Steelers have now posted 22 straight non-losing seasons as a franchise, breaking the NFL record previously held by Tom Landry’s Dallas Cowboys from 1965 to 1985.
And there’s more. Tomlin became just the 11th head coach in league history to reach 200 career wins, including the postseason.
At 53 years old, he’s the third youngest to hit that milestone, trailing only Hall of Famers Don Shula (51) and Curly Lambeau (48). It’s another feather in the cap of a coach who’s long since proven he belongs in the upper echelon of NFL leadership.
Of course, for all the regular-season consistency, the one thing that’s eluded Pittsburgh lately is postseason success. The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game in eight years - a drought that looms large over a franchise with six Lombardis in the trophy case.
Tomlin’s ability to steady the ship after a brutal Week 13 loss to the Bills - a 26-7 beatdown that had Acrisure Stadium echoing with “Fire Tomlin” chants and even boos during the playing of “Renegade” - speaks volumes. Since then, the Steelers have rattled off three straight wins and completely flipped the narrative.
That’s what Tomlin does. He keeps his team in the fight, no matter how loud the outside noise gets. And now, with Rodgers under center and the division within reach, Pittsburgh is once again in position to make some noise of their own.
Three playoff appearances. Three different starting quarterbacks.
And one head coach who just keeps finding a way. If the Steelers can finally break through in January, this season could be remembered not just for its adversity - but for how they overcame it.