Mike Tomlin’s Regular-Season Brilliance Faces Playoff Reckoning as Steelers Eye Super Bowl Glory – “Needs to Deliver in the Playoffs”

The win over the Lions in Week 16 was Mike Tomlin's 200th as a head coach in the NFL and it also secured the Steelers ninth win of the season.

Mike Tomlin’s Regular-Season Brilliance Faces Playoff Reckoning as Steelers Eye Super Bowl Glory – “Needs to Deliver in the Playoffs”

Mike Tomlin (Image via IMAGO)

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Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers grabbed their ninth win of the season with a 29-24 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The win preserved Tomlin’s streak of always finishing the season with a winning record for the Steelers.

It wasn’t easy. The Steelers faced their fair share of disappointments and criticism along the way. For a brief period, it seemed that the Steelers might miss out on the playoffs altogether after two straight losses against the Chicago Bears and the Buffalo Bills. However, Tomlin’s team put the losses behind them and won the following three games.

The winning streak kicked off with a victory over the Ravens in Baltimore, followed by a win against the Dolphins in freezing temperatures, and most recently, a triumph in Detroit. The stellar run improved the Steelers’ record to 9-6. With the Ravens losing to the New England Patriots in the late game, the Steelers are now the clear favorites to lock down the AFC North.

It also ensured that Tomlin concluded another year with a winning record, marking 19 consecutive seasons since taking over as head coach in Pittsburgh.

Tomlin also became the third-youngest head coach to win 200 games (including the playoffs) in the NFL.

The Steelers’ win over the Lions secured historic regular-season win record for Mike Tomlin

Both the Lions and the Steelers shared the same record prior to the Week 16 fixture at Ford Field. Both desperately needed the win to keep their playoff dreams alive. The Steelers eventually came out on top at the final whistle.

Mike Tomlin’s Regular-Season Brilliance Faces Playoff Reckoning as Steelers Eye Super Bowl Glory - "Needs to Deliver in the Playoffs"
Aaron Rodgers (Image via IMAGO)

Aaron Rodgers threw 27 completions from 41 passing attempts (65.9%) for 266 yards and one touchdown. Running backs Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell combined to rack up 193 yards on the ground and 2 rushing touchdowns. Gainwell further added 5 catches for 78 yards and 1 touchdown. DK Metcalf had 4 receptions for 42 yards, while veteran Adam Thielen caught 4 for 49 yards.

With just two games remaining, the Steelers have a good shot at securing a playoff seed for another year. However, they need to make the most of that opportunity. Tomlin and the Steelers’ recent playoff record has been bad. They haven’t won a postseason game since defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional playoff game in 2016.

The Steelers do need to win games in the playoffs, considering it could be the final year of Rodgers’ career. For now, Rodgers is enjoying his time and gave a big endorsement to Tomlin after the game.

Rodgers signed with the Steelers because he wanted to play for Tomlin. Since then, the 41-year-old maestro has thrown 275 completions for 2860 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions in 15 games in 2025. The Steelers end their season with games against the Cleveland Browns and the Ravens.

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