‘Fire Tomlin’ chants ring out at Acrisure Stadium late in Bills’ blowout of Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t fired a coach in more than a half century. If the angry fans at Acrisure Stadium late Sunday had their way, that would change.
A very audible “Fire Tomlin” chant was recited during the fourth quarter of a game that the Buffalo Bills won 26-7 against the Steelers. The Steelers dropped to 6-6 after losing for the fifth time in their past seven games.
Coach Mike Tomlin is in his 19th season with the team, but his ballyhooed streak of non-losing seasons might be in jeopardy. So are the 2025 Steelers’ playoff hopes — though they remain tied for first place with the Baltimore Ravens in what is a poor AFC North.
The Steelers led 7-3 at halftime Sunday but quickly saw that evaporate. Things got so bad that fans booed the popular “Renegade” pump-up video played during the fourth quarter of every game.
The Steelers have not won a playoff game since the 2016 season. They have finished with a record better than 10-7 just once since 2017.
Since the Steelers fired Bill Austin at the conclusion of a 2-11-1 season in 1968, they have had only three head coaches: Chuck Noll (1969-1991), Bill Cowher (1992-2006) and Tomlin. Each has won a Super Bowl, and Noll and Cowher each left on his own volition.
Tomlin guided the Steelers to the win in Super Bowl XL at the end of the 2008 season, and his team won the AFC championship two years later. Since, however, they have just three playoff wins.
Tomlin is the NFL’s longest-tenured head coach.
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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