ESPN Analyst Calls Out Steelers Fans for Mike Tomlin Disrespect

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a do-or-die game in Week 18 against the Baltimore Ravens, which ends a season where all eyes have been on their head coaching situation.

In what feels like the first real chance Mike Tomlin leaves the Steelers, there's an offseason coming with plenty of decisions - and a lot of attention. But in the midst of fans chanting for Tomlin to be fired, the media and former players calling for his job, and the Steelers underperforming once again, one ESPN analyst is calling out the noise.

ESPN's David Dennis Jr. believes the Steelers head coach deserves more from the supporters of the team, and that people are ignoring what Tomlin has been able to accomplished over the last few years.

"He deserves better than what the Steelers and what that fan base has been doing to him," Dennis said on ESPN's First Take. "All he has done for his entire time there, especially since Ben Roethlisberger has left, has made the most of a situation where he has not had barely a decent quarterback at any point there.

"Show me the year and Mike Tomlin’s tenure where he’s underperformed. Show me the year where you’ve looked at these Steelers and said, ‘Hey, this is Super Bowl team. This is a great team. And the coach has underperformed.'"

Nov 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin warms up for a game against the Buffalo Bills at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Tomlin Overachieving?

Now, Tomlin has overcome a lot in recent seasons. He's yet to find a quarterback, and has carried names like Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges to winning records. Even last year, the team used two quarterbacks who were benched this season to win 10 games.

And Dennis feels the same way.

"Every year we go and looking at the Steelers team, we say, ‘This team is in a fringe playoff spot,'” Dennis said. "I don’t know how they’re gonna get .500. And all Mike Tomlin does is get them .500. And while he does it, all the Steelers fans do, and people across the league say is they need to move on from him…Mike Tomlin, like anybody in life, should go where you are celebrated for your greatness. And he’s not being celebrated for his greatness."

Would Steelers Move On?

There's plenty of conversation about the Steelers and Tomlin splitting up if their season ends with a loss in the playoffs or beforehand. However, Pittsburgh has no intentions of letting their head coach go.

Team sources have stayed consistent throughout the year, defending that the team has no intentions of moving on from Tomlin. While Tomlin leaving is on the table, it's unlikely, and chances, the two sides remain intact in 2026.

If you ask Dennis, that's how it should be.

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