{"id":2621,"date":"2026-06-01T07:04:03","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T00:04:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.drinkfood.info\/?p=2621"},"modified":"2026-06-01T07:04:03","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T00:04:03","slug":"%f0%9f%9a%a8breaking-following-mike-tomlin-stepping-down-after-19-seasons-with-the-pittsburgh-steelers-intense-debate-has-erupted-over-his-defensive-schemes-after-philadelphia-eagles-cornerback-dar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.drinkfood.info\/?p=2621","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udea8BREAKING: Following Mike Tomlin stepping down after 19 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, intense debate has erupted over his defensive schemes. After Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay publicly slammed the Steelers’ coverage rules as “backwards,” former offensive coordinator Todd Haley fiercely fired back. Haley strongly defended his former boss, calling Tomlin “world smart” and “football smart,” while shutting down critics who claim the game has completely passed the legendary coach by.\ud83d\udc47"},"content":{"rendered":"
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2026 will mark the first year that the Pittsburgh Steelers have had a new head coach since 2007 when Mike Tomlin took over for Bill Cowher. Tomlin stepped down as head coach after 19 seasons at the helm following a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the wild card round.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In recent weeks, there has been an increase in discourse surrounding Tomlin and the Steelers\u2019 defense that struggled in 2025. Pittsburgh finished 18th in the NFL in\u00a0defensive EPA per dropback, and the unit as a whole was inconsistent throughout the 2025 season. This led to Darius Slay subtly calling out Tomlin in a recent podcast appearance.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI ain\u2019t gonna lie to you, that Pittsburgh stuff\u2026 that s\u2014t\u2019s backwards over there,\u201d\u00a0Slay said via Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot. \u201cThat ain\u2019t [Teryl Austin] s\u2014t. TA ain\u2019t teach none of that s\u2014t in f\u2014king Detroit. [We played] outside leverage every f\u2014king call. That\u2019s why you see when [Jalen] Ramsey ever got scored on, he\u2019s chasing someone that\u2019s running away from outside leverage.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Derrick Bell of\u00a0Steelers Now\u00a0<\/em>chimed in with a clip from Week 18 of the 2024 season where Ja\u2019Marr Chase beat Cory Trice on a quick-in breaker where Trice was playing outside leverage and the middle of the field was wide open, to which I added my own commentary via X saying the game and passed both Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin by.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In the most recent episode of\u00a0The Pump Fake\u00a0<\/em>with myself and Todd Haley, the former Steelers offensive coordinator took exception to that comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m going to rant at you and do my best Stephen A. Smith impression,\u201d Haley said. \u201cWhat are you talking about? This guy is so much smarter than you or I or anybody probably listening to this podcast. Football smart, world smart, everything. Smart people don\u2019t let things pass them by\u2026 there are so many factors that go into playing good defense. I know Mike Tomlin had a big hand in how they played defense. Can he go out there and play it for them [though]? No. And no coach can, but you can only do everything you can to put the players in the best position to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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