Steelers Rumors: Mike Tomlin Trade Discussed by Insiders; Commanders, Bears Linked

Amid a three-game losing streak and turmoil on the field about the effort-level of some players, Mike Tomlin's future as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers is being called into question.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, there's been "chatter" around the NFL that the Steelers might consider trading Tomlin to teams that either have a coaching vacancy or are expected to have an opening, like the Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears or Carolina Panthers.

Russini noted Tomlin is only under contract to the Steelers for one more season and trading him could allow them to pick up extra draft assets.

This has certainly been the most tumultuous season Tomlin has had during his 17-year tenure as Steelers head coach. He resisted calls from fans and analysts to replace Matt Canada as offensive coordinator for months before finally firing him on Nov. 21.

Wide receiver George Pickens has spent most of this week defending himself for not blocking on a running play against the Indianapolis Colts that could have opened up a window for Jaylen Warren to score.

"I didn't want to get injured," Pickens said about the situation. "When you stay in and block somebody, you can get run on very easily."

This happened a few weeks after Diontae Johnson was under scrutiny for his lack of effort on a Warren fumble against the Cincinnati Bengals.

After a 16-10 win over the Bengals in that same game that moved their record to 7-4, the Steelers looked like they were going to find another way to have another successful season under Tomlin. They haven't finished worse than .500 since 2003 when Bill Cowher was still coaching the team.

Instead, the Steelers find themselves at 7-7 after three straight losses going into Saturday's game against the Bengals. They haven't scored 20 points or more in a game since Week 10

History has shown the Steelers aren't a franchise that reacts impulsively to things. They have only had three head coaches since 1969. Canada's firing was the first in-season coach or coordinator change for the team since 1941.

Tomlin's 170 career wins as a head coach are tied for the 14th-most in NFL history. He's led the Steelers to the playoffs 10 times and two Super Bowl appearances, including a victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl 43.