• Please be aware we've switched the forums to their own URL. (again) You'll find the new website address to be www.steelernationforum.com Thanks
  • Please clear your private messages. Your inbox is close to being full.

Is the Steelers organization holding themselves hostage to DEI ?

I don't think anyone is saying Tomlin is a bad coach because he is black. Some simply believe that Tomlin is being retained as a HC here because of the Rooney Rule. Is that a racist thought? I don't think so. Now one can argue that premise either way I suppose. I don't think it holds merit though.
 
Don’t you just know that Tomlin is very well aware of the cushy position he finds himself in. Never, ever having to worry about losing his job while making millions of dollars while delivering mediocre results. That could never and would never be tolerated by any other of the 31 owners hence the no trade clause. He may be a tick above average as a coach but he’s not stupid believe me.
He fell into the perfect situation in 2007.
Let’s face it boys, this Steeler franchise is broken and championships are just fond memories.
The Steeler agenda is so much different now and it’s all about participation trophy’s which satisfies the owner.
He's not.
 
I don't think anyone is saying Tomlin is a bad coach because he is black. Some simply believe that Tomlin is being retained as a HC here because of the Rooney Rule. Is that a racist thought? I don't think so. Now one can argue that premise either way I suppose. I don't think it holds merit though.
He is.
 
I don't think anyone is saying Tomlin is a bad coach because he is black. Some simply believe that Tomlin is being retained as a HC here because of the Rooney Rule. Is that a racist thought? I don't think so. Now one can argue that premise either way I suppose. I don't think it holds merit though.
I don't think the Rooney rule has anything to do with it. I think it is purely loyalty to a coach and the historical perspective of the last 50+ years of head coaching stability, right or wrong it is the "Steeler Way".
 
I don't think the Rooney rule has anything to do with it. I think it is purely loyalty to a coach and the historical perspective of the last 50+ years of head coaching stability, right or wrong it is the "Steeler Way".
I said as much earlier in this thread also. Some though... see otherwise I believe.
 
I don't think the Rooney rule has anything to do with it. I think it is purely loyalty to a coach and the historical perspective of the last 50+ years of head coaching stability, right or wrong it is the "Steeler Way".
He was raised with an old school belief that you stick it out with your head coach.

At one time it worked for the team. It just doesn’t work now. It is stale.

I tend to lean toward you being correct. My opinion anyways…
 
He was raised with an old school belief that you stick it out with your head coach.

At one time it worked for the team. It just doesn’t work now. It is stale.

I tend to lean toward you being correct. My opinion anyways…
Regarding the Steelers, Noll was old enough that it was just time to retire, the game had clearly passed him by, and Cowher was simply burned out and didn't want to do it anymore.
Shades was young enough when he was hired that he could still be here for another 20 years if he wants to, or at least as long as Deuce is in charge.
My take is that Shades isn't the type to quit and he will be here as long as it takes for his style of football to be in vogue again and win a Super Bowl. If that means he is still on the sidelines when he is 75 years old then so be it. At some point powder blue leisure suits with white shoes and belt are bound to be back in style too.
Cowher at least had the good sense to realize he had to get out of his own way and change his game a little to win a championship. Shades, if he hasn't done that by now I don't think he's going to.
 
Regarding the Steelers, Noll was old enough that it was just time to retire, the game had clearly passed him by, and Cowher was simply burned out and didn't want to do it anymore.
Shades was young enough when he was hired that he could still be here for another 20 years if he wants to, or at least as long as Deuce is in charge.
My take is that Shades isn't the type to quit and he will be here as long as it takes for his style of football to be in vogue again and win a Super Bowl. If that means he is still on the sidelines when he is 75 years old then so be it. At some point powder blue leisure suits with white shoes and belt are bound to be back in style too.
Cowher at least had the good sense to realize he had to get out of his own way and change his game a little to win a championship. Shades, if he hasn't done that by now I don't think he's going to.
Let’s see what happens if he runs into some truly bad seasons. I think he does very good job wringing wins out of flawed teams. This compromises the ability to restock and makes us look stale when in reality we just aren’t that good overall. A truly bad season or two I think one of two things would happen. We would either rebuild quickly and he would look like a new coach after some soul searching over a losing season or he retires. Either way we are happy.
 
Let’s see what happens if he runs into some truly bad seasons. I think he does very good job wringing wins out of flawed teams. This compromises the ability to restock and makes us look stale when in reality we just aren’t that good overall. A truly bad season or two I think one of two things would happen. We would either rebuild quickly and he would look like a new coach after some soul searching over a losing season or he retires. Either way we are happy.
Would losing your last 5 games and getting destroyed in the playoff count as one of those? 🤞
 
$48 million reasons to be exact.
I lay dollars to donuts that unless he wants to retire, Shades gets another three year extension regardless of his playoff record or regular season record.
Curly Lambeau and Tom Landry each coached for 29 years, so another milestone for shades.
 
I just wanna go ahead and put this out there. If I were head coach of the Steelers, I'd be wearing sun glasses all the time too.
 
Shades was young enough when he was hired that he could still be here for another 20 years if he wants to, or at least as long as Deuce is in charge.
My take is that Shades isn't the type to quit and he will be here as long as it takes for his style of football to be in vogue again and win a Super Bowl. If that means he is still on the sidelines when he is 75 years old then so be it.
After contemplating those two possibilities, I threw up in my mouth a little. Thanks, Ron. :tongue3:
 
Curly Lambeau and Tom Landry each coached for 29 years, so another milestone for shades.
I think Don Shula has the record by coaching a mostly mid-pack Dolphins team for a looooong time.
 
People are just reaching for things.
The Rooney rule has zero to do with why he is retaining Tomlin. He’s been the HC for 18 years for crying out loud!..,plenty long enough for any coach regardless of color.

Had Rooney considered firing Tomlin with just a couple years in, then yeah Rooney would probably consider that a bad look.
 
No. Not sniffing the playoffs and having a losing record is the definition I am working with. For the sake of the current discussion.
You have a player who have been retired for all but 10 years coming out and saying Tomlin is running the same thing today that he did back when he was playing. They said they exploited us then and teams now continue to. Simply pathetic.

The good thing about Tomlin doing the exact same thing over and over year in and year out is......he has to succeed sooner or later right? I mean...we can't squeak into the playoffs and get destroyed again can we?

At what point do you have to look at yourself in the mirror and admit to yourself what you like to do simply isn't working and hasn't for years? And then change. Make adjustments. At what point does ownership at least demand changes be made?

Same player stated Tomlin simply does what he does and refuses to change. This obviously explains our lack of halftime adjustments over the years. Tomlin simply believes if they execute better all will be well.
 
You have a player who have been retired for all but 10 years coming out and saying Tomlin is running the same thing today that he did back when he was playing. They said they exploited us then and teams now continue to. Simply pathetic.

The good thing about Tomlin doing the exact same thing over and over year in and year out is......he has to succeed sooner or later right? I mean...we can't squeak into the playoffs and get destroyed again can we?

At what point do you have to look at yourself in the mirror and admit to yourself what you like to do simply isn't working and hasn't for years? And then change. Make adjustments. At what point does ownership at least demand changes be made?

Same player stated Tomlin simply does what he does and refuses to change. This obviously explains our lack of halftime adjustments over the years. Tomlin simply believes if they execute better all will be well.
I wasn't saying that in judgment. Just explaining the criteria, I was using for the discussion at hand and what I think the people who matter use as that criterion. My personal thoughts are somewhat in line with that though to be honest. Living in Ohio gives me a different perspective on what is truly awful. But that is simply my opinion.
 
I wasn't saying that in judgment. Just explaining the criteria, I was using for the discussion at hand and what I think the people who matter use as that criterion. My personal thoughts are somewhat in line with that though to be honest. Living in Ohio gives me a different perspective on what is truly awful. But that is simply my opinion.
Not all of Ohio is bad we enjoy going to Rogers farmers market. 😃
 
You have a player who have been retired for all but 10 years coming out and saying Tomlin is running the same thing today that he did back when he was playing. They said they exploited us then and teams now continue to. Simply pathetic.

The good thing about Tomlin doing the exact same thing over and over year in and year out is......he has to succeed sooner or later right? I mean...we can't squeak into the playoffs and get destroyed again can we?

At what point do you have to look at yourself in the mirror and admit to yourself what you like to do simply isn't working and hasn't for years? And then change. Make adjustments. At what point does ownership at least demand changes be made?

Same player stated Tomlin simply does what he does and refuses to change. This obviously explains our lack of halftime adjustments over the years. Tomlin simply believes if they execute better all will be well.
idk who youre talking about, idc. Butt youre ritght were doing teh same **** over and over.
 
idk who youre talking about, idc. Butt youre ritght were doing teh same **** over and over.
Julian Edelman.....said he knew playing Pittsburgh he was going to get at least 9 catches.....
 
Sure the rule factors in but ultimately Rooney is just comfy in his pockets and doesn’t have a high desire to win in the playoffs.

Groundhog Day is alive and well.
Yup. I think this has more to do with it than DEI although that plays a part too. I see most people here(not talking about you just other comments I read) have a misunderstanding of what DEI is as well.

They automatically think it's the opposite of the good ol boy network. Well it's not, you have to have merit, it's not just being a minority.

So the Rooney's made a mistake thinking Tomlin would be a great coach. Just as many other NFL owners have made that same mistake with white coaches who turned out to be mediocre like Tomlin.

The difference is though that unlike those other NFL owners their own rule has them stuck from an optics standpoint. Unless Rooney really wants to be stuck...that would make it doubly bad as far as the competence of the head of the organization goes, not just Tomlin.

And I know people will bring up the 31st ranked D with the Vikings, but they felt he had enough experience to do a good job. Just like I said many other owners have decided with white coaches, with similar resumes, and have experienced similar results.
 
Last edited:
Top