PITTSBURGH — In the spring of 2007, ESPN commissioned me to write a profile of new Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. It ran May 14, precisely 14 years ago Friday.
I looked back on the piece this week to remind myself of the atmosphere surrounding Tomlin at the time.
It was pretty hot.
Sure, he'd inherited most of "Cowher's players," as people like to say, but not all of them. A hugely important one named Joey Porter had just been cut with a year on his deal, and that left some teammates seething.
"A lot of people are leery," Hines Ward said at the time. "A lot of people can't adjust to change automatically. It's weird all over, not seeing (Cowher), not having Joey here. It's a different environment."
The eyes of the football world were laser-focused on Tomlin, a surprise choice, a 35-year-old defensive coordinator and now one of the few Black coaches in the league. "Cowher's players" were coming off a brutal 8-8 season. Ben Roethlisberger was not yet a year removed from his motorcycle accident and only three months removed from an injury-plagued season.
And if all that wasn't pressure enough, Hurricane Faneca had just ripped through town. Star guard Alan Faneca, a team captain, was raging against his contract situation and demanding a trade as May 14 hit.
So if we're talking about Tomlin's most daunting offseasons — his biggest challenges heading into a new season — I'm not sure any could top that.
But this one's close.
That was underscored Wednesday night when the NFL unveiled its 2021 schedule. We already knew the Steelers had the toughest in the league, based on last year's records. We didn't know the final six games would represent a paddle line the likes of which you'll rarely see. Using the same criterion — last year's records — it's the toughest final six in the league.
Yes, I know: Things change fast in the NFL, and last year's results don't always translate. I'm just not sure how much comfort that provides knowing the Steelers — who once owned the late-season months under Tomlin — have collapsed like accordions the past three years and now face this:
A Dec. 5 matchup against arch-rival Baltimore, followed by a quick turnaround for a Thursday game at Minnesota (which finished 6-4 after a 1-5 start), followed by a Dec. 19 date with a beast named Derrick Henry, followed by a trip to see The Wizard — Patrick Mahomes — followed by a visit from the Cleveland Browns (who put up 48 in their most recent game at Heinz Field), followed by a rematch with the Ravens.
But it's not just the schedule, which actually looks somewhat favorable over the first eight games. It's more the fact that the Steelers are mired in a decade-long malaise.
They've enjoyed some big moments, sure, but they haven't won a playoff game since 2016 — and when the Houston Texans have more playoff wins than your three over a 10-year span, something is very wrong.
If the Steelers fail to make the playoffs this season, it will mark three misses in the past four years. Tomlin, fresh from signing a three-year contract extension, must deal with these issues:
— The loss of two crucial players on defense in Bud Dupree and, to a lesser degree, Mike Hilton.
— A rebuilt offensive line.
— A new offensive line coach and offensive coordinator after the firing of long-time Tomlin friend and colleague Randy Fichtner.
— A lack of depth at several positions, notably cornerback.
— A 39-year-old quarterback who's coming off a wild year in which he was an MVP candidate for 11 weeks and a late-stage Jake Delhomme for most of the final six.
Meanwhile, the AFC North, top to bottom, shapes up as the highest-quality of Tomlin's tenure. The previous best was 2014, when the Steelers, Bengals and Ravens made the playoffs and the Browns were 7-4 before collapsing like, well, the 2018, '19 and '20 Steelers.
Tomlin met the challenge 14 years ago. He smoothed the waters with Faneca and took his team to the playoffs before winning the Super Bowl the following season.
I asked him on that day, May 14, 2007, if he ever soaks in the team history that lines the route to his office via trophies, team photos and the like.
"Some days I stop and look at those Lombardis and dream a little bit," he said. "But there's not much time for that. There's too much to do."
The challenge, of course, is part of what keeps him coming back. Nothing could ever top 2007 in that category.
But this is close.
