The streak lives on!
With the Steelers 44-38 win on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, Head Coach Mike Tomlin has secured his 18th straight non-losing season, the longest streak in NFL to begin a career.
During that time, Tomlin has won one Super Bowl and been to another.
What does it mean?
“Consistency, and keeping you in the fight,” said that’s what 18-straight non-losing seasons means for Fan Morning Show host Dorin Dickerson.
Finishing at .500 or better each season means the Steelers have been playing meaningful December football for nearly two-straight decades, with a chance to make the playoffs.
A lot of NFL cities would love to have something like that.
But, Pittsburgh is different.
Losing streak
But, the NFL is all about what have you done for me lately, and that Steelers haven’t done anything lately.
In fact, they haven’t won a playoff game since January 15, 2017 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Since then, the Steelers have lost five-straight playoff games.
The non-losing streak hasn’t mean much during this long playoff drought. What good is it to be competitive if you’re barley making or not making the playoffs and get blown out in the first round?
Now is the time.
While the Steelers made it to the post season a few times over the past five years, they usually limped in and not much was expected.
This year is different.
The Steelers are currently 9-3, lead the AFC North and have a Comeback Player of the Year-quality quarterback in Russell Wilson.
“This year is no excuse, I think you have your best assembled team,” said Dickerson.
Next year, the team is going to have to pay if they want to keep Wilson and other decisions are made.
Tomlin can make fans lose their minds with some of his calls including clock management, just to name one.
But he is also the coach that pivoted from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson and that decision has helped the Steelers get to first place in the AFC North.
Bottom Line
When his career is over, Tomlin’s non-losing streak will be looked back on positively, but right now, the streak that most Steelers fans are looking at is that seven years without a playoff win streak.
This year needs to be different with some actual playoffs wins.