Art Rooney II: Mike Tomlin had Steelers 'prepared' heading into playoffs vs. Browns

In evaluating Mike Tomlin’s 14th season as coach, Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II said it’s unfair to judge it based solely on the 48-37 upset loss to the Cleveland Browns in the AFC wild-card round.

Three turnovers in the first quarter led to three touchdowns and a 28-0 deficit for the Steelers. It began when center Maurkice Pouncey’s snap on the first play from scrimmage sailed over quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s head and into the end zone for a fumble that the Browns recovered.

It was the first of five turnovers in the game, the other four coming from Roethlisberger interceptions.

“It’s hard to analyze what we did there in terms of turning the ball over that way. You’re not going to win very many games,” Rooney II said Thursday. “I don’t see how you really attribute that to coaching preparation. I think the team went into that game prepared and felt like we were going to win.

“It wasn’t one of those things where we came out flat or anything like that. You just can’t turn the ball over.”

The playoff loss was the fifth in the final six games for the Steelers that came after a franchise-record 11-0 start. It was the third playoff loss in a row for Tomlin, whose last postseason win came in the 2016 divisional round at Kansas City.

The last two playoff losses were at home — to Jacksonville and Cleveland, teams that entered the game as heavy underdogs.

Rooney cited the 11-0 start and a return to the top of the AFC North after a two-year absence as check marks weighing in Tomlin’s favor.

“The way we finished was not one of those positives,” Rooney said. “Mike feels as bad about that as any of us, and he is determined to do what we need to do to fight to get back into having another opportunity to win the division and move on.”

Tomlin’s contract was last extended during the 2019 training camp when he was given a one-year extension through 2021 and an option for ’22. Unless he is extended again or the option is exercised, Tomlin will be heading into the final year of his deal.

“We’ll address Mike’s contract with him as time goes on this offseason,” Rooney said. “I feel comfortable in saying he’ll be our coach into the future.”

General manager Kevin Colbert is on a year-to-year contract that runs out after the draft. Rooney said he has talked with Colbert about the GM’s future.

“I kind of feel Kevin is going to come back, but who knows?” Rooney said.