Two of the most iconic figures in recent Pittsburgh Steelers history — quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and linebacker James Harrison — have publicly called for the franchise to move on from head coach Mike Tomlin, the NFL’s longest-tenured active coach.
Roethlisberger, speaking Tuesday on his “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger” podcast, suggested a full reset may be best for both sides and even floated the idea of Tomlin taking over at Penn State.
“I like Coach Tomlin. I have a ton of respect for him, but maybe it’s time for a clean house,” Roethlisberger said. “Maybe a fresh start is what’s best for him, too — whether that’s somewhere else in the pros or going to be the head coach at Penn State. You know what he’d do at Penn State? He’d probably win national championships because he’s an elite recruiter.”
Penn State, coming off a disappointing 6-6 season, has been searching for a new head coach since firing James Franklin in October. Their latest target, BYU’s Kalani Sitake, announced Tuesday he is staying put, leaving the Nittany Lions still looking.
The Steelers (also 6-6) have faded badly after a 4-1 start, and fan frustration reached a boiling point during Sunday’s home loss to Buffalo, with boos and “Fire Tomlin!” chants raining down.
James Harrison, who spent parts of ten seasons playing for Tomlin, was even more direct on his “Deebo and Joe” podcast Monday.
“I’ve never thought Coach Tomlin was a great coach,” Harrison said. “I thought he was good. A good coach gets you to your potential, and right now the players we have aren’t playing anywhere near theirs. A great coach gets you to that level — consistently.”
With the Steelers in the midst of another late-season slide, two of the franchise’s all-time greats have now joined the growing chorus suggesting the Mike Tomlin era in Pittsburgh may finally be coming to an end.
Ben Roethlisberger says the Steelers shouldn’t “fire a guy like Coach Tomlin,” but added that it might be “clean-house time” in Pittsburgh.
Harrison produced his finest NFL work under Tomlin, earning five straight Pro Bowl nods from 2007 to 2011 and winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. The two-time All-Pro linebacker acknowledged the Steelers’ long tradition of coaching stability but insisted the current situation demands an exception.
“Something has to change,” Harrison said. “I know the Rooney family historically doesn’t fire coaches, but I think it’s time to make some new history.”
Roethlisberger, meanwhile, emphasized that the parting shouldn’t be acrimonious. He urged the organization and Tomlin to come to a mutual agreement to end the partnership rather than outright firing the coach.
“You don’t fire a coach like Mike Tomlin,” Roethlisberger said. “He’s a Hall of Fame coach, universally respected. What you do is sit down like adults, come to a mutual understanding, and agree it’s time for a fresh start—for everyone’s sake.
“That’s how it’s always been done here. You say, ‘Coach, we think it’s best for all of us to move in a new direction.’ That’s exactly what happened with Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher.”
At 53, Tomlin has racked up 189 regular-season victories (11th-most all-time) across 19 seasons in Pittsburgh and owns the highest winning percentage (.625) in franchise history. Yet the Steelers haven’t claimed the AFC North since 2020 or won a playoff game since January 2017.
“Coach Tomlin has been here a long time,” Roethlisberger continued. “Build the man a statue, give him whatever honor he’s earned—because he absolutely deserves it. But now it’s time to find the next guy who can lead this team for the next two decades.”
