Mike Tomlin will probably continue to win after Ben Roethlisberger retires.

[polamalubeast]

Will Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin continue to win after Ben Roethlisberger retires? Based on the coaching job he's done so far, obviously.


"I'm proud to say I supported this team before it became a perennial champion," says a lot of people who don't want to be considered bandwagon fans.

"I wish I could coach a team without a franchise quarterback," said no head coach ever (at least not honestly).

Following the announcement of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin's two-year contract-extension last Friday—a deal that runs through 2020—one of the concerns many fans and media members have expressed is his ability to continue to win after quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's retirement, which is presumed to happen sooner rather than later, what with his unwillingness to commit to football beyond 2017.

That concern about Tomlin is nothing new. In-fact, it's been used as a weapon of criticism against him ever since he was hired in 2007.

If "He Wins With Cowher's Players" was the name of a dealership, Roethlisberger would be the car modeled in the front window.

So, will Tomlin be able to win without Roethlisberger?

I guess it all depends on what you mean by "win."

If you mean what I think you do, and that's Super Bowls, well, when it comes to that, it's hard to name many head coaches throughout history who were able to reach the top of the mountain without a franchise quarterback.


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https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/pittsburgh-steelers-opinions-reactions-news-updates/2017/8/8/16103902/mike-tomlin-will-probably-continue-to-win-after-ben-roethlisberger-retires-pittsburgh-steelers-nfl

[Edman]

We'll never know until Ben hangs it up.

[86WARD]

I don't think he will initially. I think we are going to suffer through a very brief Bubby Brister type scenario and into a Neil O'Donnell type era (which wouldn't be a terrible thing minus 2 INTs).

[Mojouw]

If we take the idea that a head coach can not consistently win without an upper tier QB, then isn't some of this outside of Tomlin's hands? I mean Colbert is in charge of "buying the groceries" as Parcells used to say.

It seems that the argument seems to be that Tomlin can not get too much positive credit as a coach because his current wins feature an elite HOF caliber QB. Therefore the real test of Tomlin will be when he doesn't have an elite HOF QB. However, everyone seems to agree that an NFL franchise can not consistently win without a high caliber QB.

Doesn't that kinda set up the following:
1. Tomlin is not a good coach because his wins are due to Ben R being on the roster and he still struggles against "bad" (A term that has never been defined - but I'm trying to have only one discussion at a time!) teams.
2. The true test of Tomlin's ability as a coach will be when he doesn't have an elite franchise QB.
3. Most of us would agree that without a mediocre or below QB, an NFL team isn't winning many games. So if (and when?) Tomlin's post Ben teams struggle -- wouldn't that be at least partly because the new starting QB sucks? Therefore not totally Tomlin's fault?

TL;DR -- Tomlin gets no credit now because of the QB and will get all the blame later because of the QB.

[polamalubeast]

If we take the idea that a head coach can not consistently win without an upper tier QB, then isn't some of this outside of Tomlin's hands? I mean Colbert is in charge of "buying the groceries" as Parcells used to say.

It seems that the argument seems to be that Tomlin can not get too much positive credit as a coach because his current wins feature an elite HOF caliber QB. Therefore the real test of Tomlin will be when he doesn't have an elite HOF QB. However, everyone seems to agree that an NFL franchise can not consistently win without a high caliber QB.

Doesn't that kinda set up the following:
1. Tomlin is not a good coach because his wins are due to Ben R being on the roster and he still struggles against "bad" (A term that has never been defined - but I'm trying to have only one discussion at a time!) teams.
2. The true test of Tomlin's ability as a coach will be when he doesn't have an elite franchise QB.
3. Most of us would agree that without a mediocre or below QB, an NFL team isn't winning many games. So if (and when?) Tomlin's post Ben teams struggle -- wouldn't that be at least partly because the new starting QB sucks? Therefore not totally Tomlin's fault?

TL;DR -- Tomlin gets no credit now because of the QB and will get all the blame later because of the QB.


Good point but It's just that Tomlin will always be compared to Cowher and we remember that even if Cowher had not won a super bowl in the first 12 years, Cowher had a very good record without franchise QB and when Cowher had a franchise QB, he had an incredible success in 2004 and 2005, even if Ben was young, but he was very good.

[Mojouw]

Good point but It's just that Tomlin will always be compared to Cowher and we remember that even if Cowher had not won a super bowl in the first 12 years, Cowher had a very good record without franchise QB and when Cowher had a franchise QB, he had an incredible success in 2004 and 2005, even if Ben was young, but he was very good.

Cowher played in a different NFL. Now it is possible that the league will swing back towards a "ground and pound" run the ball and play good defense kinda style -- but right now it is soooo tilted towards the passing game that I'm not sure most of Cowher's tenure is comparable to most of Tomlin's.

Who in the last 5-6 years has been consistently winning without an average or better QB? I mean the worst QB that I can think of a coach winning with year in and year out is Alex Smith and he is better than he gets credit for.

During most of Tomlin's tenure the Vikes have had the best RB of his generation and strong defense. How many coaches have they burnt through now?

[polamalubeast]

Cowher played in a different NFL. Now it is possible that the league will swing back towards a "ground and pound" run the ball and play good defense kinda style -- but right now it is soooo tilted towards the passing game that I'm not sure most of Cowher's tenure is comparable to most of Tomlin's.

Who in the last 5-6 years has been consistently winning without an average or better QB? I mean the worst QB that I can think of a coach winning with year in and year out is Alex Smith and he is better than he gets credit for.

During most of Tomlin's tenure the Vikes have had the best RB of his generation and strong defense. How many coaches have they burnt through now?

Of course you need a good QB to win consistently, but it was the same thing in the 1990s.

I mean in the 1990s, teams needed a franchise QB to win the super bowl.From 1992 to 1999, every Super Bowl champions had a HOF QB.

The Steelers of 2004 and 2005 were similar to the 2013 seahawks.Good running game, great defense (even if Seattle was a bit better) and a young playmaker as QB.

You can win in today's NFL by being a running team, but you need a QB capable of making big play, what Seattle had in 2013 and the steelers had in 2004-2005.

[AtlantaDan]

This article is another reminder of how great a coach Joe Gibbs was in his initial tenure as the Washington coach

3 Lombardis and 4 Super Bowl appearances with three different journeymen QBs (Joe Theissman, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien) when getting through the NFC required dealing with the 49ers, Bears and Giants

[DesertSteel]

This article is another reminder of how great a coach Joe Gibbs was in his initial tenure as the Washington coach

3 Lombardis and 4 Super Bowl appearances with three different journeymen QBs (Joe Theissman, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien) when getting through the NFC required dealing with the 49ers, Bears and Giants
Amen! That's always been my pick for best coach based on the criteria you list.

[ALLD]

This article is another reminder of how great a coach Joe Gibbs was in his initial tenure as the Washington coach

3 Lombardis and 4 Super Bowl appearances with three different journeymen QBs (Joe Theissman, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien) when getting through the NFC required dealing with the 49ers, Bears and Giants

And Joe Theismann is a first class douche' bag!

[GBMelBlount]

Top 3 offensive line, WR corps and running back and a top 10 defense on it's way.

Yes.

[86WARD]

Ben Bryant and Bell will probably be gone in the next 2-3 seasons.

[pczach]

Ben Bryant and Bell will probably be gone in the next 2-3 seasons.


Oh look, it's Mr. Cold Shower! :lol:

I know it's possible, but let's just see how everything plays out. Can't you just let me enjoy all this talent a little bit while we have it? :chuckle:

[Hawkman]

Oh look, it's Mr. Cold Shower! :lol:

I know it's possible, but let's just see how everything plays out. Can't you just let me enjoy all this talent a little bit while we have it? :chuckle:

Yeah...what he said!:rofl2: