The Pittsburgh Steelers’ legacy isn’t etched in Lombardi trophies alone; it’s forged in the unyielding consistency of men like Chuck Noll and Mike Tomlin. For 18 seasons, Tomlin’s non-losing streak has been the NFL’s north star of stability – a record as imposing as the Monongahela flowing past Acrisure Stadium. Yet, in the churning waters of modern fandom, where patience runs thinner than a dime-store napkin, even bedrock can feel like shifting sand. The drought gnaws at Yinzer souls: zero playoff wins since 2016. It’s a statistic that hangs heavier than a January fog over Mount Washington, fueling whispers that perhaps the standard needs a new voice.
Enter Jerome Bettis. ‘The Bus’, a man whose 13,662 career rushing yards and iconic Super Bowl XL touchdown plunge embody the Steelers’ blue-collar soul, isn’t having it. When asked if Tomlin’s seat should be warming, the Hall of Famer shifted into high gear with the force of one of his legendary goal-line carries: “Yeah, I would say if you fire him, he becomes the number one best candidate. I mean, that’s just the reality of it. He’s a really good coach.”
Bettis zeroed in on the most persistent criticism – the post-Ben Roethlisberger quarterback carousel spinning from Kenny Pickett to Russell Wilson and now Aaron Rodgers. His retort was blunt, echoing through the digital ether like a coach’s whistle cutting through practice noise: “If you’re saying he’s the reason that they don’t have a quarterback at that position, then you’ve got to say you don’t know anything about football. He’s not picking the talent there.”
Jerome Bettis defends Mike Tomlin and says he should remain the Steelers Head Coach, but they need a franchise quarterback in 2026. #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/Ma1TzklDdc
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) June 27, 2025
Bettis paints a clear organizational hierarchy. While Tomlin’s voice undoubtedly resonates powerfully in the draft room alongside Omar Khan – reports confirm his influence was pivotal in landing Rodgers – the ultimate call on sacrificing draft capital rests higher. “He’s doing everything he can possibly do with the talent he’s been given,” Bettis stressed, framing Tomlin as a master chef working with the ingredients handed to him. “If he was making all the decisions… then yeah, you have to hold him more responsible… That’s not the case… It’s going to take ownership to say, ‘Hey, we gotta go up and get a guy.’”
His solution? Channel the spirit of 2004: “What they have to do, in my humble opinion, if they’ve got to package a couple first-round picks and they’ve got to trade and go get a quarterback, maybe not the number one guy in that draft. Next year, there’s supposed to be three or four quarterbacks that they think are really good. Maybe you don’t get the first number one, but the second or third guy, you go out and you go out and try to get much like the Ben Roethlisberger situation. He was the third-best quarterback in that draft from a drafting perspective. So maybe not the first guy, but you’ve got to go out and get a young guy, develop him. And I believe that’s the only way you’re going to have that long-term success.”
While the Steelers did draft a QB this year, any whispers around Will Howard (6th round, 185th overall) died down quick after the confirmation of their four-time NFL MVP QB.
Rodgers: The ultimate one-year rental & Tomlin’s tightrope walk
The arrival of Aaron Rodgers isn’t just a quarterback change; it’s a seismic event radiating desperation. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio framed the high-stakes gamble bluntly, labeling the Rodgers signing a “level of desperation to end what will be a nine-year streak with no playoff wins.” He ominously noted this is “the longest the Steelers have gone between postseason wins since… the Immaculate Reception game.”
The implication is clear: This move – trading the potential chaos of a young QB for the fading star power of a 41-year-old legend on a one-year, $13.65 million deal – is Tomlin’s Hail Mary. Florio’s warning hangs in the air like the tension before a crucial fourth down: “If they fail to win a playoff game this year, what happens next?… I’m not saying they will, but the level of desperation this year tells me if they fail again, we need to be ready for anything in 2026.”
Newly signed Quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers Aaron Rodgers 8 dons a Steelers helmet and works out at the Steelers Mini Camp on June 10, 2025 in Pittsburgh. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY PIT2025061003 ARCHIExCARPENTER
While Tomlin’s contract extension through 2027 offers armor plating, Florio hints at scenarios previously unthinkable in Pittsburgh: a mutual parting, or even the nuclear option – a trade. The pressure isn’t just external; Rodgers’ very presence and Tomlin’s role in securing him inextricably link their fates.
This isn’t just about Rodgers slinging touchdowns; it’s about Tomlin proving his “Standard” can still translate to January success. Failure amplifies every existing criticism – conservative play-calling, timeout management, the playoff drought – into a deafening roar. As Ryan Clark put it, another playoff miss means “an uncomfortable conversation… in their building.”
But can Rodgers even deliver? Bettis, set to tee off with Rodgers at the American Century Championship, pinpointed the critical vulnerability with the precision of a surgeon diagnosing an injury: “I think the one big question… is, can you protect him?… If you can protect him, then you can get all the value out of him… If you can’t protect him, then it doesn’t matter who you put out there.”
The Steelers’ O-line is startlingly young – only Isaac Seumalo boasts significant experience. Relying on sophomores Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick, plus rookie Troy Fautanu, to shield an aging QB is like sending rookies to block Aaron Donald. “They have got to make sure they get it right on the offensive line… I think that’s the only way they have any type of success,” Bettis emphasized, sounding like a grizzled O-line coach demanding reps.
Protection isn’t the only key. Bettis stressed the need for a potent run game to ease Rodgers’ burden, praising the potential of Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson: “You get those guys pounding at you, then I think you can throw some play action… I think that creates a great mix.” It’s the classic Steelers formula – ground and pound, setting up the pass – but executed at a higher tempo with Rodgers’ quick release and football IQ.
Bettis believes the supporting cast, including new weapon DK Metcalf, is playoff-caliber: “The playoffs are the floor… Once you get to the playoffs, anything’s possible… We were a sixth seed and won the championship.” Channeling the underdog spirit of his own 2005 team feels intentional.
Rodgers brings undeniable Hall-of-Fame credentials – the ‘Miracle at Meadowlands II’ Hail Mary, the Super Bowl XLV MVP performance, the legendary ‘Run the Table’ comeback. But at 41, his game has evolved. The improvisational magic remains, but it’s tempered by pragmatism. He’s a surgeon now, relying on lightning-fast releases (~2.7 seconds) and play-action mastery within Arthur Smith’s system, rather than the deep-ball gunslinger of his MVP years. His success hinges on that young line holding firm and Warren/Johnson establishing the run early.
The 2025 season is a high-wire act. For Tomlin, it’s about proving his process still wins when it matters most, silencing critics who confuse consistency with stagnation. For Rodgers, it’s a final shot at glory – a chance to author a storybook ending Bettis himself experienced. And for the Steelers? It’s about navigating the treacherous waters between venerating a legendary coach and acknowledging the desperate, win-now move his tenure demanded. As the Bus wisely noted, the quarterback solution lies in the future draft, not just this veteran rental.
But this season, under the intense glare of “Rodgers or Bust,” will define whether Tomlin’s remarkable run continues – or if the Steelers’ front office finally feels compelled to hit the reset button, Bettis suggests, is coming in 2026.
The standard is indeed the standard. Now, we see if it’s enough.
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