Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a rather surprising take on what his former team should do with head coach Mike Tomlin.
Tomlin has come under increasing scrutiny as the Steelers once again find themselves in a fight for a playoff spot in 2025. Roethlisberger rather surprisingly suggested it might be time for Tomlin and the Steelers to part ways, but his advice for what Tomlin should do next was even more unexpected.
“Maybe it’s clean-house time,” Roethlisberger said on his “Footbahlin” podcast. “I like Coach Tomlin. I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin. But maybe it’s best for him, too. Maybe a fresh start for him is what’s best.
“Go be Penn State’s head coach. You know what he would do at Penn State? He’d probably go win national championships, because he’s a great recruiter.”
Whether Tomlin would actually want to coach at the college level is debatable at best, but it is a very bold proposition. Plus, if even Roethlisberger is suggesting that both sides might need a fresh start, that would bode quite poorly for Tomlin.
The Steelers are now 6-6 on the season after losing to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, and Tomlin has acknowledged that fans clamoring for a change have a right to be frustrated. There are no indications that the organization itself is ready to move on, however.
As for Penn State, Tomlin certainly does not appear to be a candidate. Maybe he eventually will be if the school keeps striking out on its major targets.
