The Pittsburgh Steelers have been at the center of offseason chatter due to their prolonged pursuit of veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The team’s passive approach to the position frustrated many fans, as did Rodgers’ apparent lack of interest in signing with Pittsburgh.
With the Steelers still searching for their first playoff win since 2016, frustration within the fanbase has grown, especially toward head coach Mike Tomlin. NFL insider Peter Schrager recently shared his thoughts on Tomlin’s job security during an appearance on the “Unsportsmanlike” radio show.
Peter Schrager Discusses Mike Tomlin’s Chances of Getting Fired by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Schrager recently left his role at NFL Network to join ESPN, ending his nearly nine-year run on the iconic “Good Morning Football.”
As he continues to make himself at home at ESPN, Schrager appeared on the morning show “Unsportsmanlike.” Schrager was asked by former NFL defensive lineman Chris Canty whether the Steelers were more likely to win a playoff game with Rodgers or be looking for a new head coach in 2026.
Schrager was adamant that the Steelers would stick with Tomlin if they were to make the playoffs again, regardless of how far they go.
“If you go to the playoffs again, I can’t imagine them firing him. I know that everyone says, ‘Look at Andy Reid.’ Andy Reid did it for the Eagles, couldn’t get over it, and they finally fired him, and then, new blood, and both sides were better off.
Do we have a better chance of seeing a version of Aaron Rodgers that could get the Pittsburgh Steelers a playoff win—or of hearing, by season’s end, that the Steelers are going in a different direction with their head coach?@ChrisCanty99 @PSchrags | @ESPNRadio pic.twitter.com/eFNXjAe78U
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) June 12, 2025
“Mike Tomlin, if he wants to leave, can have any TV job in the world; he can probably have any coaching job in the world. I can’t imagine a world where the Steelers, if he makes it to the playoffs again, fire Mike Tomlin.”
Schrager Describes Move for Aaron Rodgers as a ‘Can’t Lose’ for Pittsburgh
Schrager then suggested that Rodgers’ move to Pittsburgh carried very little risk for the team, citing the player’s one-year contract.
“It’s a can’t-lose for the Steelers, because if they’re good, they’re good, whatever. If they’re bad, they’re 4-13, fine; he’s a one-year deal, he’s out, and we can get a good draft pick and we can start all over.”
While some criticize Tomlin for failing to find a true successor to Ben Roethlisberger, it’s not entirely fair to pin the team’s recent playoff struggles solely on him. The Steelers have lost four Wild Card games over the past five seasons, three of which came against elite AFC teams: the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, and Kansas City Chiefs.
All three are widely considered top-five teams in the NFL and the clear class of the AFC. The other loss came in January 2021 against a Baker Mayfield-led Cleveland Browns squad, when Roethlisberger threw four interceptions in a 48–37 defeat.