Mike Tomlin Had Sassy Move After Defeating Ravens Amid Questions Over Future

Mike Tomlin got the last laugh after questions surrounded his future in Pittsburgh over the last week.

Mike Tomlin and the Steelers earned a key win over the Ravens on Sunday. / @CBS

Following a demoralizing loss to the Bills last week, questions emerged regarding Mike Tomlin’s future with the team. Fans in the stadium chanted “Fire Tomlin” after the Bills ran down the Steelers’ throat for 249 yards. Even with the Bills regularly running the same play, Pittsburgh could not stop the ground attack—the antithesis of blue collar, Steeler football.

Though Tomlin has led the Steelers to a Super Bowl victory and never finished with a losing season, they haven’t won a playoff game in nearly a decade. Their play has often not been inspiring this season, and some simply believed that both sides could benefit from a fresh start.

Amid all that talk, the Steelers rebounded with a crucial 27-22 win over their rival Ravens to move back to the top of the AFC North. Pittsburgh did not allow a single sack, and despite rushing for only 34 yards, outlasted Baltimore on the road to get the win.

Tomlin reveled in the win after the game, looking directly at the camera and blowing a kiss as he walked off the field victorious—a fitting end to a week full of rumors and skepticism toward the future.

If I send you this, it means you FAFO’ed. pic.twitter.com/nshvCGrqFt

— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) December 7, 2025

Prior to the game, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that it’s unlikely Tomlin gets fired or traded after this season. He added that if Tomlin is no longer with the team next season, it would most likely be because he left on his own terms.

If anything, Sunday’s win should only solidify that.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who finished the game 23-34 for 284 yards and a touchdown with no sacks, was asked what the win means after the week that they and Tomlin have had. He replied, “It means maybe you guys will shut the hell up for a week.”

Tomlin and the Steelers will look to build off this win and move toward clinching their division over the final weeks of the season. They will next face the Dolphins, Lions and Browns, but might not get the chance to clinch the AFC North until Week 18, when they’ll have a rematch against the Ravens.

---

More NFL on Sports Illustrated

FREE NEWSLETTER. SI BTN Newsletter. Start off your day with SI:CYMI. dark

feed