Pittsburgh Review

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has expressed his understanding of fans' frustration following the team's early exit from the 2024 postseason. The Steelers were defeated by the Baltimore Ravens, 28-14, in the Wild Card playoffs at M&T Bank Stadium, concluding their season. Now, they are beginning to assess what went right and wrong during the season.

"There's football justice. You get what you deserve," Tomlin stated at a press conference held at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. He acknowledged that the team did not evolve properly or perform well enough down the stretch, leading to their elimination.

The Steelers started strong with a 10-3 record but faltered during a challenging three-game stretch against Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Kansas City—teams still competing in the NFL postseason. Despite making it to the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, Pittsburgh has consistently been eliminated in the opening round by teams like Kansas City (2021), Buffalo (2023), and now Baltimore.

Tomlin believed this year's team was better equipped to compete with top NFL teams. However, despite some success against playoff teams during the regular season, they failed to advance past their first playoff game.

"A component of that disappointment is I thought this collective was better positioned," Tomlin said. "There's obviously a lot of work to do."

Moving forward involves assessing every aspect of their operations and making necessary changes for future success. Meetings have already begun between Tomlin, team president Art Rooney, and general manager Omar Khan as they analyze decisions made throughout the season.

"Certainly there's change that comes when we don't have the desired outcome," Tomlin noted. Discussions include addressing issues such as player health after experiencing numerous soft tissue injuries.

A significant topic for discussion is determining plans for their quarterback position as Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen all have expiring contracts. "We don't have a quarterback under contract," Tomlin explained. He emphasized exploring options through free agency or draft prospects before making any decisions.

Despite falling short this year, Tomlin remains committed to ensuring growth both individually and collectively within his team so that similar outcomes can be avoided next season: "Ultimately you get what you got coming to you... there had better be growth in it."