Sunday at Acrisure Stadium wasn’t just a loss-it was a gut punch. The Pittsburgh Steelers fell 26-7 to the Buffalo Bills in a game that exposed more than just schematic flaws. It peeled back the emotional layers of a team in the middle of a pivotal stretch, and it sparked something we rarely hear in Pittsburgh: fans chanting “Fire Tomlin.”
But inside that locker room, one voice wasn’t having it. Rookie linebacker Jack Sawyer made it clear postgame-this isn’t on Mike Tomlin.
“Yeah, you’re frustrated because that’s (expletive) when people are saying that,” Sawyer said. “But we’re not playing up to our standard. …We need to take ownership as players and go out there and play a lot better.”
That’s the kind of accountability you want to hear from a young player, especially after a game like this. Pittsburgh’s offense managed just 166 total yards.
They held the ball for only 18 minutes. And on the other side, Buffalo ran wild-249 rushing yards, with James Cook leading the charge and the Bills racking up 23 second-half points.
It wasn’t just a loss-it was a physical beatdown.
And now, the noise is growing louder.
The Steelers had a chance to take control of the AFC North with a win. Instead, they dropped to 6-6, the same mark as the Ravens, setting up a Week 14 showdown that suddenly feels like a make-or-break moment.
That 4-1 start? It feels like a distant memory now, overshadowed by a team that has slipped to 27th in offensive production and 28th on defense.
There’s no sugarcoating it-those rankings are rough. And when both sides of the ball are underperforming, the head coach naturally ends up in the crosshairs. But Tomlin, who’s kept this franchise competitive since 2007 without ever posting a losing season, still has the backing of the organization.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the Steelers have no plans to move on from Tomlin, regardless of the fan frustration.
And that’s where this gets interesting. Because while the outside noise is growing, the message inside the building appears to be one of unity and belief.
Sawyer’s comments weren’t just about defending his coach-they were about accountability. About a team that knows it’s capable of more, but hasn’t shown it in weeks.
Now comes Baltimore. A rivalry game.
A divisional game. A game that could swing the trajectory of the season.
Tomlin’s seat might feel warm to some, but inside that locker room, it’s clear: the players still believe. The question is whether belief can turn into execution-because time is running out, and the margin for error is gone.