Mike Tomlin’s playoff record: When was his last postseason win with the Steelers?
Tomlin has stepped down as Pittsburgh’s head coach following their heavy defeat to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round.
Mike Tomlin has announced he is stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after Monday’s blowout 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card playoff round.
The 53-year-old departs Pittsburgh after 19 seasons, none of which ended with a losing record, giving him the NFL record for most consecutive non-losing seasons as a head coach.
Tomlin’s Super Bowl win in Pittsburgh
The Steelers won the Super Bowl in only Tomlin’s second year in charge, defeating the Arizona Cardinals to claim the 2008 NFL championship. However, he was unable to replicate that early success, and his disappointing postseason record is ultimately one of the main reasons for his departure.
Breaking: After a historic 19-season run in Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin just informed his team that he is stepping down as the Steelers head coach, sources tell @JFowlerESPN and me.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 13, 2026
The Steelers now will be looking for only their fourth head coach since 1969. pic.twitter.com/KvkPv3lA1W
In his 19 seasons, the Steelers clinched the playoffs 13 times. In addition to the Super Bowl XLIII victory, they also reached Super Bowl XLV two years later, where they fell to the Green Bay Packers.
Tomlin’s playoff record with the Steelers
Tomlin leaves Pittsburgh with an 8-12 playoff record. Only three of those victories came after the start of the 2011 season. The Steelers have now lost six straight postseason games, with their last win coming in the 2016 season.
On January 15, 2017, Pittsburgh defeated the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in the Divisional round, marking the most recent postseason victory for both the team and Tomlin.
The Steelers’ postseason disappointments
Since then, Pittsburgh has suffered a series of disappointed playoff defeats:
- 2017 Divisional round: Jacksonville 45-42 Pittsburgh
- 2020 Wild Card round: Cleveland 48-37 Pittsburgh
- 2021 Wild Card round: Pittsburgh 21-42 Kansas City
- 2023 Wild Card round: Pittsburgh 17-31 Buffalo
- 2024 Wild Card round: Pittsburgh 14-28 Baltimore
- 2025 Wild Card round: Houston 30-6 Pittsburgh
The crushing defeat to the Texans proved to be Tomlin’s final act, following reports he had been on the hot seat at the end of last season after a fifth straight playoff loss.
Rodgers and Tomlin unable to achieve Super Bowl return
With veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the roster, there had been high hopes Pittsburgh could finally return to the Super Bowl. However, the team fell well short, and the head coach has paid the price.
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