The voices calling for the end of Mike Tomlin's tenure as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers are growing louder and more prominent. They now include future Hall of Fame quarterback and Steelers great Ben Roethlisberger.
Roethlisberger won two Super Bowls as Pittsburgh's quarterback, one of them with Tomlin as his head coach. He played 15 of his 18 NFL seasons under Tomlin.
On Tuesday, Roethlisberger didn't mince words about his thoughts on Tomlin's job status while speaking on his "Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger" podcast.
"Maybe it's a clean-house time," Roethlisberger said. "Maybe it is, maybe it's time. And I like Coach Tomlin. I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin. But maybe it's best for him, too."
'Go be Penn State's head coach'
Roethlisberger then suggested another prominent Pennsylvania football job that may be a better fit for Tomlin at this juncture of Tomlin's career.
"Maybe a fresh start for him is what's best," Roethlisberger continued. "Whether that's in the pros, maybe — go be Penn State's head coach. You know what he'd do at Penn State? He would probably go win national championships. Because he's a great recruiter."
Big Ben on Mike Tomlin:"Maybe it's a clean house time and I like Coach Tomlin I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin. Maybe it's best for him too. Maybe a fresh start for him is what's best."#steelers🎥Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisbergerpic.twitter.com/WjyUBKDsZ5
— Matthew Luciow (@matthewluciow92)December 2, 2025
Roethlisberger's comments come on the heels of Pittsburgh's 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sundayin which "fire Tomlin" chants broke outat Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium.
Is it time for Tomlin to go?
Despite the loss, theSteelers remain in playoff contention at 6-6. They're tied with the Baltimore Ravens atop the AFC North and have two games remaining against the Ravens in which they can take control of the division.
Even if the Steelers make the playoffs, nobody expects this team to win once it gets there. And that's the issue in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers were consistent contenders through most of the Roethlisberger era, whether it was with Tomlin or Bill Cowher as head coach. But since Roethlisberger retired in 2021, the Steelers have had a rotating cast of quarterbacks, none of whom has been capable of elevating them back into contention.
A now 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers is the latest Steelers quarterback to run a less-than-lethal offense in Pittsburgh. It's not exactly Tomlin's fault that the Steelers have failed to find an answer at the position post-Roethlisberger. And Tomlin has yet to post a losing record in 18-plus seasons as head coach.
But momentum is growing in Pittsburgh to make a change after nearly two decades with Tomlin as the Steelers languish in mediocrity.
Roethlisberger offers an exit strategy
"Here's what you don't do," Roethlisberger said. "You don't fire a guy like Coach Tomlin. He's a Hall of Fame coach. What you do is come to an understanding and agreement, and it's like, 'Hey, listen, I think it's probably best for both of us.'"
Pittsburgh has, remarkably, operated with just three head coaches since 1969 — Tomlin, Cowher and Chuck Knoll. They combined to lead the Steelers to six Super Bowl championships. Roethlisberger said there comes a time for even legendary coaches to move on, and that now is Tomlin's.
"It happened with Chuck Knoll," Roethlisberger said. "It happened with Coach Cowher — now Coach Cowher's was a little bit different because of family things. But Coach Tomlin has been here a long time. And you would give him a statue — whatever you've got to do, because he deserves it, he's earned it.
"But it's like, OK. It's time to find the next guy. And who's that next guy who could be here for the next 20 years?"
James Harrison says Tomlin isn't 'a great coach'
Roethlisberger isn't the only contemporary Steelers legend to call for the end of the Tomlin era. Five-time Pro Bowl defender James Harrison played 10 seasons for Tomlin and has beena frequent critic of his former coach.
He offered a less forgiving assessment of Tomlin than Roethlisberger's on his podcast, "Deebo and Joe."
James Harrison doesn't hold back on his thoughts about Mike Tomlin.#Steelers#NFLpic.twitter.com/FLaBRwOd8u
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh)December 1, 2025
"As much as I hate to say this, I have never been a person that thought Coach Tomlin was a great coach," Harrison said Monday. "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. I know they can do it. I have seen them do it.
"And they're not playing up to their potential. And a great coach gets you to play beyond your potential."