[ad_1]
In 1969, the Steelers employed 37-year-old Chuck Noll to assist flip across the franchise. The Steelers have employed simply two different coaches since hiring Noll: Invoice Cowher (1992) and Mike Tomlin (2007). Over that span, Pittsburgh has gained six Tremendous Bowls, eight convention titles and 24 division titles. Noll has a bronze bust in Canton, Ohio, and Cowher can have his bust enshrined within the Corridor of Fame this summer season. Tomlin, who signed a three-year extension on Tuesday, will probably at some point be a part of them in soccer immortality.
The 49-year-old coach — a Tremendous Bowl-winning assistant with the Buccaneers earlier than going to Pittsburgh — guided the Steelers to their most up-to-date Tremendous Bowl win, a 27-23 win over the Cardinals in Tremendous Bowl XLIII. Moreover, Tomlin’s groups have claimed two AFC titles and 7 division titles throughout his first 14 years on the job. Tomlin’s .650 profitable proportion is eighth in NFL historical past amongst coaches which have gained no less than 100 video games. Tomlin’s 14 consecutive non-losing seasons to start a profession is tied for the longest streak in league historical past.
Whereas Tomlin has already etched his title within the document books, here is a have a look at just a few different franchise and league milestones he’ll probably hit over the subsequent 4 seasons. We’ll additionally study what Tomlin’s extension probably means for his teaching legacy.
Non-losing seasons
If the Steelers can go no less than 8-8-1 this season, Tomlin will cross Marty Schottenheimer and take sole possession of first place on the all-time record of most non-losing seasons to start an NFL head teaching profession. Tomlin has a methods to go to get the document for many consecutive non-losing seasons total, nonetheless. That document is held by former Cowboys coach Tom Landry, who posted 21 straight non-losing seasons from 1965-85.
All-time wins
Tomlin is presently tied with Pete Carroll for twenty first all-time in common season wins. Assuming he continues to common simply over 10 wins per season, Tomlin shall be knocking on the door of the highest 10 for all-time wins by the point his present contract expires. Notable coaches Tomlin will probably cross on the all-time wins record over the subsequent 4 years embrace Cowher and fellow Corridor of Famers Joe Gibbs, Bud Grant, and Invoice Parcells. Tomlin may also probably cross fellow Tremendous Bowl profitable coaches Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan and Tom Coughlin.
Franchise document for wins
Tomlin’s 145 common season wins are 4 behind Cowher and 48 behind Noll for the franchise document. If his groups common 12 wins per season, Tomlin will match Noll’s common season tally throughout his remaining season underneath contract. Whereas that is a fairly daunting quantity, the NFL’s addition of a seventeenth sport ought to assist Tomlin in his climb up the franchise document guide.
Tomlin’s 153 complete wins are eight behind Cowher and 56 behind Noll. Assuming that the 2021 Steelers can proceed Tomlin’s custom of non-losing seasons, he’ll cross Cowher sooner or later through the upcoming season. Tomlin must win the Tremendous Bowl as wild card staff, nonetheless, to match Cowher’s postseason win complete (12) through the 2021 season. Tomlin is presently midway in direction of Noll’s tally of 16 postseason wins.
Franchise division titles
Tomlin is one division title away from tying Cowher for second in franchise historical past. Cowher started his profession with 5 division crowns throughout his first six seasons on the sideline. He gained two extra in 2001 and in 2004. His 2004 Steelers gained a franchise-record 15 video games, a document that has has not been threatened within the years since. Tomlin’s groups gained three AFC North titles throughout his first 4 seasons. They added to the franchise’s division title tally in 2014, ’16, ’17 and in ’20.
Noll, the coach who gained the Steelers’ first division title in 1972, stays in first franchise historical past with 9 division crowns. Noll’s groups gained six consecutive AFC Central division titles from 1974-79. Pittsburgh gained 4 Tremendous Bowls throughout that span; in addition they grew to become the primary and solely staff in league historical past to win back-to-back Supers Bowls twice.
Playoff appearances
Tomlin’s 9 playoff appearances are tied for seventeenth in NFL historical past. He is one playoff look away from tying Cowher and three away from matching Noll, who guided the Steelers to a dozen playoff appearances. If he can clinch 4 extra playoff berths, Tomlin would grow to be the tenth coach in league historical past to achieve double-digit postseason appearances. He would be a part of Noll, Landry, Holmgren, Grant, Schottenheimer, Don Shula, Invoice Belichick, Andy Reid, and Paul Brown on that esteemed record.
Tremendous Bowl wins
With one other Tremendous Bowl win, Tomlin would grow to be the 14th head coach to win a number of Tremendous Bowls. Noll, Belichick, Landry, Shula, Gibbs, Parcells, Shanahan, Coughlin, Vince Lombardi, Invoice Walsh, George Seifert, Tom Flores and Jimmy Johnson are the one head coaches in NFL historical past to a number of Tremendous Bowls. All however three of those coaches are members of the Corridor of Fame. So far as present coaches are involved, Tomlin is one in every of simply 9 coaches to win one Tremendous Bowl. Tomlin, Belichick, Carroll and Reid are the one lively head coaches to teach in a number of Tremendous Bowls.
Tremendous Bowl appearances
With one other Tremendous Bowl look, Tomlin would grow to be the eleventh head coach to achieve no less than three Tremendous Bowls. The record additionally contains Dan Reeves (4), Belichick (9 appearances), Shula (six), Landry (5), Noll (4), Marv Levy (4), Gibbs (4), Walsh (three), Parcells (three) and Holmgren (three). One other Tremendous Bowl berth would put Tomlin one look behind Noll in Steelers historical past. Noll posted an ideal 4-0 document whereas guiding Pittsburgh to wins in Tremendous Bowls IX, X, XIII and XIV.
What does this imply for Tomlin’s legacy?
“The usual is the usual” is one in every of Tomlin’s well-known strains. The quote is a homage to the usual Noll, former Steelers president Dan Rooney and Corridor of Fame defensive sort out Joe Greene helped institute in 1969. The usual is championships, a bar Noll’s groups hit 4 occasions within the ’70s. Cowher’s staff reached the usual in 2005, and Tomlin’s Steelers adopted go well with in 2008.
Whereas Tomlin’s one Tremendous Bowl win doesn’t measure as much as a number of the nice coaches of the previous, he is teaching in a considerably totally different period, the place the wage cap and free company makes it almost not possible to have longterm continuity on a roster. At this time’s teaching challenges make Tomlin’s non-losing streak all of the extra spectacular, because the Steelers have persistently been in playoff rivalry throughout his decade-plus in Pittsburgh. That achievement shouldn’t be ignored.
At this time’s coaches shall be measured in another way from earlier eras. That was made clear when Cowher — one other one-time Tremendous Bowl winner — was immortalized in Canton. It is clear that at this time’s Corridor of Fame voters have a look at the general physique of labor, and never simply Tremendous Bowl wins, when deciding a coach’s candidacy. With that in thoughts, Tomlin is already in all probability executed sufficient to at some point have his personal Corridor of Fame bust. Even with out one other Tremendous Bowl win, Tomlin is and shall be thought-about among the best coaches of his period.
That being stated, Tomlin in all probability wants one other Tremendous Bowl win to be actually thought-about as the best coaches of all-time, not simply in his period. And whereas the duty of profitable a Tremendous Bowl is more difficult than ever, it is a problem Tomlin readily accepts.
“Now we have a aim of profitable the group’s seventh Tremendous Bowl championship,” Tomlin stated on Tuesday, “and I could not be extra obsessed with this upcoming season.”
[ad_2]
supply