Many believe the Steelers won’t fire Mike Tomlin because the Steelers don’t fire coaches. That habit has morphed in recent days into mythology.
Some have insisted that the Steelers have never fired a head coach. On Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com made this assertion: “the organization hasn’t fired a head coach since 1941.”
Advertisement
Here are the facts. The Steelers had nine coaching changes after 1941 and before the hiring of Chuck Noll in 1968. Several of those coaches were in fact fired.
Bill Austin, who preceded Noll, was fired after the 1968 season.
Mike Nixon, who preceded Austin, was fired after the 1965 season.
Walt Kiesling, the man who said “no thanks” to local product John Unitas, was fired after the 1956 season.
John Michelosen, who held the job for four years, was fired after the 1951 season.
Jim Leonard, who coached the team in 1945, publicly resigned before he could be fired.
That’s four firings and one “you can’t fire me, I quit” from 1945 through 1968.
Advertisement
Then there’s Noll, who “retired” at the age of 59 after 23 years with the team. It’s not known what would have happened if he had insisted on staying for a 24th year, but it was clearly getting closer and closer to an involuntary end for Noll in Pittsburgh.
Before Noll, the Steelers’ revolving door spun as rapidly as anyone’s. They’ve had incredible stability for 56 years. But let’s not make it into something it isn’t, as some sort of proof positive that owner Art Rooney II won’t ever fire a coach.
Before Noll, the Steelers fired plenty of coaches. And if Rooney resists what he otherwise believes is a necessary change for both the team and for coach Mike Tomlin so that the Steelers won’t lose their “never fire coaches” vibe, that would make the organization every bit as dysfunctional as the teams that seemingly fire coaches every other year.
