Ben Roethlisberger played his entire 18-year career with the Steelers, and the final 15 of those years were for Mike Tomlin. Roethlisberger thinks it might be time for the Steelers and Tomlin to separate.
Roethlisberger said on his podcast that he thinks the Steelers might be better off with a new coach and Tomlin might be better off with a new job.
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“It’s being talked about around here a lot: Maybe it’s a clean-house time. Maybe it’s time,” Roethlisberger said. “I like Coach Tomlin. I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin. But maybe it’s best for him, too. Maybe a fresh start for him is what’s best. Whether that’s in the pros, maybe go be Penn State’s head coach. You know what he would do in Penn State? He would probably go win national championships. Because he’s a great recruiter.”
Roethlisberger isn’t advocating for the Rooney family to fire Tomlin, but is advocating for an honest conversation in which all parties admit things aren’t working and that everyone might be better off with a fresh start.
“Here’s what you don’t do: You don’t fire a guy like Coach Tomlin,” Roethlisberger said. “He’s a Hall of Fame head coach, he’s respected. What you do is you come to an understanding and agreement, and it’s like, ‘Hey, listen, I think it’s probably best for both of us.'”
The Steelers have had only three head coaches since 1969. Chuck Noll spent 23 years on the job, followed by Bill Cowher for 15 years, and now Tomlin has been the coach for 19 years. The Steelers like to have stability, but eventually every coach has to go.
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“You go, ‘Hey, coach, listen, it’s probably best for all parties involved, let’s start over.’ It happened with Chuck Noll, it happened with Coach Cowher,” Roethlisberger said said. “Coach Tomlin’s been here a long time. You’d give him a statute, whatever you’ve got to do, because he deserves it, he’s earned it. But it’s time to find that next guy. Who’s that next guy that could be here for the next 20 years?”
Roethlisberger compared the Steelers’ situation to the Eagles when they parted ways with Andy Reid. That worked out for both parties, as the Eagles have won two Super Bowls since then, and Reid has won three Super Bowls with the Chiefs. Roethlisberger said Tomlin might like the idea of trying that himself.
“I think he might say it’s time for a fresh start,” Roethlisberger. “Andy Reid, when he got let go in Philadelphia . . . do you think he for one minute regrets it? And now the Eagles have won since he left, and he’s won.”
It may be time for Tomlin and the Steelers to see if they can both win more apart than they can together.
