After a decade of underwhelming play and playoff frustration, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ struggles reached a breaking point Sunday, as they were crushed by the Buffalo Bills, falling to 6–6 with their fifth loss in seven games.
When asked by ESPN reporter Brooke Pryor if his team had an identity, head coach Mike Tomlin responded, “Yeah, it’s 6–6, and I don’t like it.”
A: "Mike, do you have an identity as a team?"
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) December 2, 2025
Tomlin: "Yeah, it's 6-6 and I don't like it."
Tomlin’s brutal analysis of his team paints a bleak future for the fan base as they prepare for a critical matchup against division rivals and co-leaders, the Baltimore Ravens.
Steelers’ struggles draw fan frustration; Tomlin acknowledges harsh reaction
Deafening boos and chants of “Fire Tomlin” filled Acrisure Stadium as fans expressed their displeasure with the product on the field.
When asked by ESPN reporter Brooke Pryor about the booing, Tomlin acknowledged the sentiment and shared his frustration.
“In general, I agree with ’em from this perspective: Football is our game. We are in the sports entertainment business, and so if you root for the Steelers, entertaining them is winning. When you’re not winning, it’s not entertaining. If you’ve been in this business, you understand that. I respect it, I share frustrations, I understand what makes this thing go, and winning is what makes this thing go,” Tomlin told Pryor.
Fans booed the beginning of "Renegade" here at Acrisure Stadium as the Steelers trail the Bills, 23-7, with 10:11 left. That has subsided but no one is cheering and defenders are just standing on the field as Styx blares during the timeout. Is this rock bottom? Pic.twitter.com/YSbzb1fOB8
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) November 30, 2025
Tomlin is considered one of the most respected and decorated coaches in NFL circles, with his record for most consecutive non-losing seasons to start a head coaching career widely admired by his peers.
But this record has been dismissed by much of the Steelers fan base, who believe consistent postseason success should be the standard.
Despite his regular-season accolades, Tomlin and his team continue to underperform in the playoffs, where they are on a six-game postseason losing streak. That includes ending the 2024 season on a four-game losing streak that saw them lose the AFC North in the final game of the regular season before being eliminated by the Ravens in the wild-card round.
After starting the season 4-1, the Steelers’ fall back into the middle of the pack has led fans to start a petition on Change.org calling for Tomlin to step down as head coach. The petition has garnered more than 3,800 signatures.
With only five regular-season games remaining, three of them against division rivals, Tomlin and his team need to act quickly to save their season and potentially their jobs.