The noise in Pittsburgh is rising louder. The proud Steelers have misplaced two straight heading into the primary of two (doubtless) playoff-deciding video games in opposition to the Ravens. After a 4-1 begin, Pittsburgh is 6-6 and one other collapse could also be simply across the nook.
On the heart of all of it is head coach Mike Tomlin. Extensively thought-about among the finest leaders within the NFL, Tomlin has been together with his staff longer than some other energetic head coach. However for all of the “by no means had a non-losing season” discuss, it has been eight years because the Steelers received a playoff sport. And nobody in Pittsburgh cares concerning the non-losing season document if it does not include some January success.
Externally, many really feel just like the seat must be sizzling on Tomlin. However sources say that’s not the case internally.
“He does not take note of it. It has been this fashion since he obtained [to Pittsburgh,]” stated a supply. “… He stays targeted on profitable and does not let the noise have an effect on him.”
Tomlin, 53, signed a three-year contract extension final yr that retains him with the Steelers by the 2027 season. He has been on the helm since 2007. A Steelers head coach hasn’t been fired since 1941, and all indications are it will not be occurring on the finish of this season both.
Because it stands at this time, there is a good probability Tomlin is again teaching the Steelers in 2026. However within the occasion he isn’t, league sources see two completely different choices.
The Steelers might commerce Tomlin to a different staff, gathering what is bound to be a first-round decide for his companies. However Pittsburgh would wish Tomlin’s blessing as he possesses a no-trade clause, so it must be a collective choice amongst three events: the Steelers, Tomlin and his subsequent staff.
The opposite possibility can be a mutual parting of how, and never the “mutual parting of how” that noticed New England hearth Invoice Belichick after the 2023 season. However as one supply put it, if the Steelers determine a recent begin is required, “who’re they going to rent that can be higher?”
There’s additionally current proof-of-concept with a training hole yr. Sean Payton had a yr off earlier than going to Denver, the place the Broncos are set to make the playoffs once more. Mike Vrabel did not land a job after getting canned in Tennessee and now might get a first-round bye in New England. Mike McCarthy spent his yr in a storage after Inexperienced Bay after which went to the playoffs thrice in 5 years in Dallas. (Now, within the curiosity of equity, the yr off has not been notably sort to Pete Carroll in Las Vegas).
Here’s what will not be going to occur: Tomlin will not be going to go away to the NFL to go coach in faculty, and he isn’t going to be the following head coach of Penn State soccer like his former quarterback floated this week.
“Possibly a recent begin for him is what’s finest,” Roethlisberger stated on his podcast. “Whether or not that is within the professionals, possibly go be Penn State’s head coach. You already know what he would do in Penn State? He would in all probability go win nationwide championships, as a result of he is an excellent recruiter.”
Penn State, the primary open job in main faculty soccer, someway stays open at this time after being rejected by a roster of coaches. CBS Sports activities’ faculty soccer reviews assume the Nittany Lions’ subsequent goal is Matt Campbell of Iowa State.
Roethlisberger might not have supposed to come back off as disrespectful, but it surely’s arduous to interpret such a suggestion as something aside from that.
Tomlin makes more cash within the NFL than he ever would in faculty. If accessible, he can be one of the vital sought-after coaches in all of professional soccer. He hasn’t coached in faculty in 1 / 4 century and only a few years in the past shot down any notion of ever going to that degree.
To not point out, Tomlin is a first-option sort of coach.
“Ben is extra involved about remaining related than being actual and respectful,” stated one supply.
Sure, issues are loud within the Metal Metropolis. And Tomlin should shoulder his share of blame ought to this season go the way in which final yr did. But when I needed to rank the NFL head coaches by who cares the least about what’s being stated externally, Mike Tomlin is no less than tied for the highest spot.
Why embattled Giants GM Schoen might maintain his job
There are some press conferences you possibly can win. In most cases, the chance to lose a press convention is accessible. And typically, there isn’t a method you possibly can win it, so that you simply mitigate the injury.
That is what I noticed this week when embattled Giants GM Joe Schoen spoke at his scheduled bye week presser. His staff has received 5 video games the previous two seasons. He is the architect of the staff. The pinnacle coach and defensive coordinator have been voted off the island. There was no probability Schoen might win the presser.
Schoen’s seat has been sizzling for a yr. It was sizzling when John Mara determined to maintain Brian Daboll and Schoen collectively on the finish of final season. It remained sizzling when Mara fired Daboll final month and stated Schoen would keep on. It’s nonetheless sizzling because the losses pile up.
Might Mara change his thoughts on the finish of the season and hearth Schoen? After all he might. Joe Choose wasn’t fired till he talked his method out of the job, opting to lose the press convention after that Bears sport towards the tip of the 2021 season.
However sources say the sense is nothing has but modified. Naturally, some extra aggressive video games down the stretch would assist everybody’s case there (dwelling vs. the Commanders, Vikings and Cowboys, plus a street journey to Las Vegas, stay).
Giants’ Abdul Carter explains why he is ‘glad’ he is going by a number of benchings
Jordan Dajani
There’s additionally the notion that Schoen might lose his job provided that Mara’s high head-coach candidate says he’ll solely take the job if Schoen is not there. We noticed a model of that play out final yr in Jacksonville when Shad Khan could not safe anybody’s companies whereas Trent Baalke remained as GM. However sources throughout the league have spoken extremely of Schoen and the way nice he’s to work with.
The Giants head teaching job might be the most effective available on the market this cycle, highlighted by the presence of quarterback Jaxson Dart. I do not get the sense teaching candidates will balk, if you’ll, at working with Schoen. Plus, he is solely beneath contract by the 2026 season. So if it does not work, that coach will doubtless be a part of the group selecting the following GM anyway.
Houston’s discovered options
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I spent a while on this area two weeks in the past applauding the work Houston has accomplished offensively just lately, and I feel there’s extra to it. The Texans obtained a giant AFC South win in opposition to the Colts final week in C.J. Stroud’s return, and it confirmed to some observers that issues are clicking once more for the quarterback.
“Generally the most effective factor you are able to do to win a sport is take a completion, throw the ball away, have an effect on the sport with nice run checks, and perceive discipline place and when’s the most effective time and place to scramble,” stated one AFC offensive coach. “And when he is obtained to placed on the cape and be particular, these alternatives will current out of necessity.”
The Texans have received 4 straight, together with three wins with backup QB Davis Mills, and the offense has even left some factors within the discipline prior to now two wins in opposition to the Payments and Colts. It reveals an offense that took a while to gel with a first-time play-caller in Nick Caley and a personnel group that wanted higher play alongside the offensive line.
By means of the primary 9 weeks of the season, the Texans ranked twenty sixth within the league in offensive anticipated factors added (EPA). Since then, Houston is ranked fifteenth within the league, simply behind the Chicago Bears.
Sunday night time’s sport in opposition to the Chiefs can be an excellent problem for Houston. The Chiefs protection will take a look at Stroud’s self-discipline with the a number of appears to be like Ok.C. DC Steve Spagnuolo presents.
Put together for earlier-than-usual contract negotiations
A plugged-in league supply instructed me this week to regulate groups doing extra end-of-season offers this yr than in earlier seasons. Whereas the wage cap quantity for the upcoming yr is rarely official till late February or early March, groups are anticipating a giant spike. That signifies that groups will wish to beat others to market and lock up guys needing new offers earlier than they be taught simply how far more cash is accessible in March.
Ever because the COVID true-up yr of 2021, the cap has gone up pretty dramatically every season. Within the 4 years earlier than COVID, the cap elevated on common 6.3 p.c year-to-year. Within the 4 years since that 2021 true-up, the cap has elevated a median of 11.2 p.c year-to-year.
One league supply anticipates subsequent yr’s bounce can be even larger than the previous few years, which noticed a spike of 13.6 p.c year-to-year in 2024 and 9.3 p.c this previous yr.
Groups just like the Titans and Falcons might be smart to get extensions accomplished earlier for gamers like Jeffrey Simmons and Drake London, respectively, understanding they want to retain their companies for years to come back. Whereas it is identified the Cowboys wish to maintain George Pickens, may the Packers attempt to hash out a cope with Rasheed Walker earlier than mid-March? What about Devin Lloyd in Jacksonville?
These are among the huge names, and it’ll take the gamers being keen to simply accept the offers early with a purpose to come to an settlement. However that would result in one other blow to the massive free-agency bonanza that used to happen each March.
Why punt returners are going bananas
Earlier than this yr, it had been a half-decade since a participant returned multiple punt for a landing in a season. By means of Week 13 this yr, three guys have accomplished it.
New England’s Marcus Jones, Jacksonville’s Parker Washington and Tennessee’s Chimere Dike every have two thus far this season. Jones obtained his Monday night time in his thirteenth sport whereas Washington and Dike have accomplished it in 12 video games.
Nyheim Hines was the final participant with a number of punt return touchdowns, doing so in 2019 for the Colts. Earlier than him, Jamal Agnew did it in 2017. However not since 2016 have there been three gamers with two or extra punt return touchdowns. And it’s a must to go all the way in which again to 2008 to have 4 gamers with two-plus punt return touchdowns.
Here is what’s much more spectacular: there are fewer punts than ever earlier than. As just lately as 2016, there was a median of 4.5 punts per sport. However thanks to higher beginning discipline place and coaches being extra aggressive on fourth downs, that quantity dropped to a modern-low of three.76 places per sport final season. And thru 13 weeks there have been simply 3.65 punts per sport. So these three gamers are getting these returns with fewer probabilities than ever.
What offers? Every of those six returns have come in opposition to completely different groups, so there is no weak hyperlink to bully.
As an alternative, I am reminded of the story I wrote again in September once we noticed a rash of blocked punts and kicks. The widespread thread among the many particular groups coaches I spoke with was there may be much less apply time than ever earlier than on these performs, largely due to the time now allotted to the dynamic kickoff. To not point out, the everyday physique kinds of particular teamers have modified from staff to staff due to the brand new kickoff.
It is cheap to imagine all of that has had a trickledown impact on different areas of particular groups. The 11 punt return touchdowns by 13 weeks are probably the most since there have been 12 returned by this level in 2015, and that was with 255 extra punts.
There was a lot speak about how the ‘Ok’ balls have impacted discipline targets, and I perceive it to a degree. Kickers have tried 15 discipline targets of 60 or extra yards with eight makes in comparison with 4 out of 10 by Week 13 final yr (regardless that there have been extra makes an attempt of 50-plus yarders final yr with higher accuracy.) However I feel all that discuss has obscured a much more fascinating particular groups story about how the dynamic kickoff has had larger and extra consequential ripple results throughout the game.
Key to Carolina turnaround: Morgan’s contact at WR
A fast bye week shoutout to Panthers GM Dan Morgan and the Carolina entrance workplace. On the subject of the receiver place particularly, the previous linebacker deserves excessive marks. He and his group took Tetairoa McMillan eighth general within the draft when some groups weren’t as bought on him, and now he is a month from securing the NFL Offensive Rookie of the 12 months award.
A yr earlier, Morgan took Xavier Legette on the finish of the primary spherical, and Carolina might use extra from him. However Morgan additionally nabbed Jalen Coker, an essential piece of the rotation, in undrafted free company. However past buying receivers, have a look at what he is been capable of get for the receivers not in Charlotte.
Final yr he obtained a fourth-round decide for Jonathan Mingo, who has caught 5 passes in 9 video games for the Cowboys. He obtained a fifth for a sixth in sending Diontae Johnson to Baltimore, and Johnson has caught three passes for 2 groups whereas spending time with a 3rd because the deal.
And this week the Vikings waived Adam Thielen after sending Morgan what quantities to a fourth-round decide for the veteran, who had simply eight catches earlier than being launched.
There’s loads of work forward of the 7-6 Panthers, however Morgan ought to be capable of benefit from the bye week somewhat higher.
Housekeeping word on entrance workplace tags
I am instructed the NFL is anticipating to make issues clearer for groups because it pertains to who’s the true “main soccer government” inside groups.
The PFE is often generally known as the overall supervisor for groups. That individual has the same old GM duties, although remaining say over the 53-man roster has not been a requirement when figuring out the PFE.
However in recent times, groups have created extra complicated buildings of their entrance places of work. In Tennessee, for instance, Chad Brinker is the president of soccer operations and Mike Borgonzi is the GM. Borgonzi is taken into account the PFE, although there was a whole lot of dialog on the time of the rent between the staff and league about that designation. Each males are listed beneath the staff’s “soccer government management.”
The league goals to make the PFE job duties extra descriptive, and it will likely be as much as the league workplace — and never the groups — on making the willpower transferring ahead.
