Imagine spending 18 years of your career with a single team and still struggling to make it to the playoffs. It seems like Mike Tomlin has lost the juju he once had when the Steelers won the Super Bowl ring back in ‘09. He was literally the youngest coach to ever do it back then. Now, he’s being roasted even in Super Bowl commercials. A Pittsburgh law firm mocked his famous quote, “The standard is the standard,” in an ad. It’s clear that Mike’s castle is falling brick by brick. Now the offseason is here—will he help the team get up, or will the fans see it all fall down again?
In a team, the players are the art, and the coaches are the artists. When the fans are hoping for a Van Gogh, all they’re getting is a kid’s crayon sketches. I mean, the team does need a level-up in the roster with good signings, but what’s the reason for letting go of two of the most promising coaches? Yes, the Steelers fired DB coach Grady Brown and linebackers coach Aaron Curry. A Steelers correspondent recently raised a curious question in an X post. “Arguably the two best up-and-coming coaches on the Steelers staff — Aaron Curry and Grady Brown — didn’t have their contracts renewed. Is that by their choice or the team’s choice?”
Arguably the two best up and coming coaches on the Steelers staff — Aaron Curry and Grady Brown — didn’t have their contracts renewed. Is that by their choice or the team’s choice?
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) February 11, 2025
Steelers promised fans that changes were coming, but they didn’t warn that it’d be like this. Instead of fixing glaring issues—like their struggling offensive line—they let go of two of their most promising defensive coaches. Curry played a key role in revamping the linebacker unit. Helping Elandon Roberts hit a career-high 83 tackles while also developing rookie Payton Wilson. Meanwhile, Brown’s work with the secondary helped Joey Porter Jr. emerge as a true lockdown corner. Allowing just a 16.5 QB rating when targeted—the second-best in the NFL.
Curry has already found a new home with the New York Jets. While the Steelers are still searching for his replacement. Gerald Alexander stepped in as the new DB coach—a solid hire—but the move raises the question of why they didn’t retain Brown in the first place. Meanwhile, Pat Meyer remains the offensive line coach, despite the unit’s well-documented struggles. This isn’t the kind of shake-up fans were expecting, and unless more impactful changes are coming, it’s hard to see how this moves the Steelers any closer to true contention. Fans can’t help but take shots at Mike Tomlin after he’s letting key pieces slip away.
What the internet is saying about Mike Tomlin after this decision?
The internet wasted no time dissecting Mike Tomlin’s decision, and the consensus isn’t exactly in his favor. Many fans believe that letting go of Aaron Curry and Grady Brown wasn’t about performance—it was about control. Curry was fired on January 31, 2025, and now, just recently, the Steelers parted ways with Brown as well. “Too much of a threat to Tomlin’s job, eliminate all threats,” one fan wrote, hinting that their rising potential might’ve made the head coach uneasy. The idea that Tomlin may have seen them as competition rather than assets is fueling frustration.
Another fan took it a step further, saying, “They probably didn’t stroke Tomlin’s ego enough.” This speaks to a deeper concern among Steelers supporters—was this about loyalty rather than merit? Tomlin has long been known for valuing staff who align with his philosophy, but if that comes at the cost of firing promising coaches, it raises questions about his leadership approach. “Tomlin was most likely threatened by the fact that they are promising,” another fan speculated, adding to the belief that this move was more about power than performance.
Some fans have also questioned the long-term impact of these firings. “He probably let them go so he could have a couple leaves on his pathetic tree. Otherwise, this makes no sense. Meanwhile, we keep Meyer? Yikes,” one frustrated fan pointed out. The contrast is striking—while Curry and Brown are out, Pat Meyer, despite the offensive line’s struggles, remains untouched. It’s led many to believe that performance wasn’t the deciding factor here.
With the Steelers nearing a decade without a playoff win, confidence in the team’s direction is fading. “Mike Tomlin’s choice. He’s going to burn it down on his way out,” another fan vented. Whether that’s an exaggeration or not, the perception that these moves weaken the team rather than strengthen it is hard to ignore. Right now, it seems like fans aren’t just questioning the firings—they’re questioning the future.
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