Did the New England Patriots just get Mike Tomlin – an institution with the Pittsburgh Steelers for almost as long as Bill Belichick has been one in Foxboro – fired?
The Steelers remain in playoff contention, if only barely, following their embarrassing home loss on Thursday to the lowly Patriots. That failure makes it back-to-back stinkers for Tomlin and company, who the week before lost to the have-not Arizona Cardinals.
That’s consecutive losses to 2-10 teams. … both at home. And now it’s not just fans who have tired of Tomlin’s reign in Pittsburgh, even though he’s never had a losing season there.
Smart media people are now reserving seats on the anti-Tomlin bandwagon.
Indeed, the proud Steelers franchise might be just about to endure a seventh straight season without a playoff win. And while there is no joy in Mudville … er, Foxboro … over the Patriots being good enough, if only for a moment, to make Tomlin inept?
Yes, losing to the Cardinals and these Patriots in a four-day span at home looks awful on Tomlin’s resume.
Belichick is an institution. But that doesn’t mean he keeps this job forever. And if Belichick isn’t forever, why should Tomlin be.
