Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher weighed in on the growing calls to fire Mike Tomlin. Cowher, who coached Pittsburgh from 1992 to 2006 and handed the job to Tomlin in 2007, finally opened up on this growing speculation.

” I mean, I think it’s a very quick reaction to a period of time right now where Pittsburgh is going through it,” Cowher said on NFL on CBS, before highlighting Tomlin’s 19-year relationship with the team and the organizational stability.

“I think Mike understands that the next five weeks will determine the impact of change that’s going to take place at the end of the year. But I think history has shown that Mike Tomlin embraces these opportunities and these challenges,” he added.

Tomlin’s résumé in Pittsburgh is very substantial. Since taking over in 2007, Tomlin has guided the Steelers to a Super Bowl title in the 2008 season and has never had a losing season.

The firing calls skyrocketed after the Steelers’ great Ben Roethlisberger said that it could be time for Tomlin to part ways with Pittsburgh. Big Ben even said that Tomlin would be better off with a new job, and the Steelers just might benefit from a new head coach.

Still, Cowher did not dismiss the frustrations of the fans. He agreed that the team is searching for an identity. But his central message was that accountability and leadership must be the focus now.

“I think accountability has to be there. And I would be surprised if his team doesn’t respond,” Cowher said, pressing that internal correction and focus remain the path forward through the season’s final weeks.

Cowher’s intervention comes amid a mid-season narrative that’s gained steam as Pittsburgh’s hot start gave way. The Steelers started the year strong but have since cooled, putting them at 6–6 and in a precarious yet salvageable spot in the AFC North. Cowher said the potential of Tomlin to rally under pressure, much like he once was in Pittsburgh, could be integral as the Steelers try to regain momentum in the stretch run.

Steelers’ final take on Mike Tomlin’s future

The Steelers reportedly have a team option for 2027, and the franchise must decide whether to pick up that option by early March.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the option detail and the March decision window. Media insiders who have followed the story mostly suggest that the Steelers are not likely to dismiss Tomlin abruptly, but rather that the team will review performance and likely use the option if they want continuity.

NFL Network reported that because of Mike Tomlin’s stature and the rarity of a Steelers coach entering a contract year, the team is expected to strongly consider picking up his option.

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Of course, if the option is not used, it doesn’t bar the organization and Tomlin from negotiating a mutual parting or other resolution before the 2026 season.

That contractual detail renders the next five weeks more than a routine late-season stretch: It effectively creates a timeline to aid ownership in determining whether to pick up the option on Tomlin and continue with him in full control or allow the option to lapse and face a different set of choices.

Cowher’s plea for patience thus dovetails with the front office’s need to weigh competitive results against institutional stability and Tomlin’s deep roots with the franchise. The next five games will determine not only playoff positioning but might shape Mike Tomlin’s immediate future in Pittsburgh.