Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had his team trailing by only one point heading into the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans on Monday night in an AFC Wild Card game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
But the Texans, buoyed by a stiff defensive performance, pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 30-6 win over the Steelers. The loss left many fans and people in the NFL world wondering if that was Tomlin’s last game as the Steelers’ head coach.
NFL World Rips Steelers HC Mike Tomlin After Loss
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, who covers the Steelers for the network, was at the stadium for the game and shared what she observed as the clock was running out.
Pryor posted on X, “Stands are emptying out and many of those staying behind are chanting Fire Tomlin.”
Stands are emptying out and many of those staying behind are chanting Fire Tomlin.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) January 13, 2026
Steelers fan and sports betting specialist Amanda Vance did not hold back on her criticism at all, especially toward Tomlin. Vance shared a video that showed her leaving Acrisure Stadium after the defeat.
She simply posted three words with the video: “Fire Mike Tomlin.”
Fire Mike Tomlin pic.twitter.com/ethEcA62B3
— Amanda Vance (@amandacvance) January 13, 2026
“I’m leaving,” Vance said. “Until they fire Mike Tomlin, I’m done. We’ll never win s**t.”
Alex Walker, sports director at WFTV and a Penn State graduate, was simply not happy with what he saw from Pittsburgh on the field on a cold Monday night on ESPN.
“That’s the dagger,” Walker posted on X. “Completely inexcusable performance. Fire Mike Tomlin. End this mediocre run. Hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016. Sideways trajectory.”
That’s the dagger. Completely inexcusable performance.
Fire Mike Tomlin. End this mediocre run. Hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016. Sideways trajectory.
Could’ve seen this dud coming from a mile away.
— Alex Walker (@AlexWalkerTV) January 13, 2026
Blitzburgh, which is an account that covers all things Steelers, went a little deep and shared Tomlin’s record in postseason games since 2017.
Needless to say, the numbers speak for themselves.
Mike Tomlin since 2017:
•2017: 0-1; lost in divisional round⁰
•2020: 0-1; lost in wild card round⁰
•2021: 0-1; lost in wild card round⁰
•2023: 0-1; lost in wild card round⁰
•2024: 0-1; lost in wild card round⁰
•2025: 0-1; lost in wild card round#Steelers #NFL— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) January 13, 2026
NFL insider Josina Anderson shared a couple of images of Tomlin and Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who might have played his final game in the NFL on Monday night.
Anderson posted on X, “It’s over. Houston #Texans are hot … Now the Mike Tomlin watch begins…. And the HOF Aaron Rodgers run likely ends…”
It’s over. Houston #Texans are hot 🔥
Now the Mike Tomlin watch begins….
And the HOF Aaron Rodgers run likely ends… #Steelers pic.twitter.com/e84cQh2nSz
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 13, 2026
NFL analytics specialist Warren Sharp also posted on X and shared even more numbers that don’t add up in Tomlin’s favor. Sharp wrote, “how much more can Steelers fans take? 9 straight seasons without a playoff win 6 straight playoff trips without a win: 2025: 0-1 2024: 0-1 2023: 0-1 2021: 0-1 2020: 0-1 2017: 0-1.”
Marcus Mosher, who hosts the “Locked on Cowboys” podcast, was already predicting that some in the media world might have a unique reaction about Tomlin’s future.
Mosher posted this on X: “Can’t wait for the national media to tell us that it’s asinine to think the Steelers should move on from Mike Tomlin. No other coach in the NFL can go 9 years without a playoff win! And every single playoff loss looks like this!”
NFL reporter Ari Meirov tossed out a number that Tomlin shares with former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis: “Mike Tomlin has now tied Marvin Lewis for the longest postseason losing streak with 7 straight losses.”
It should be noted that Tomlin won a Super Bowl during his tenure in Pittsburgh. But there are a lot of people who are calling on the Steelers’ ownership to move along from Tomlin after getting beat up in front of the home crowd. Even if Tomlin isn’t fired, there have been rumblings that he could decide to walk away from Pittsburgh and pivot to broadcasting before potentially coaching elsewhere.
