The Steelers hung tight early but quickly found out they were vastly outmatched by the Chiefs, losing 29-10. Despite a strong start, Pittsburgh struggled to keep pace with Kansas City's high-powered offense, and it became clear they couldn't hang with the reigning Super Bowl champions. With the game slipping away, the frustration reached a boiling point.
For the second week in a row, Mike Tomlin very clearly gave up by punting on 4th & 2. Ross Tucker raised a valid point about why this decision should create serious backlash, as Tomlin kept the starters in the game despite the team clearly being out of contention. The decision to punt on a crucial 4th down demonstrated a lack of urgency and signaled that Tomlin might have mentally checked out of the game. All while putting his star player's health at risk.
The most concerning aspect of this situation, one that deserves significant critique, is the fact that veteran Cam Heyward had just gone down with an injury. Coupled with the reality that Pittsburgh was playing its third game in just 10 days, this was the perfect opportunity to pull the starters and prioritize their health, especially with the game already out of reach.
Despite the mounting problems, Heyward remained in the game, as did TJ Watt and the rest of the starters, even after the punt. It's unclear what Tomlin was thinking in this moment or why he made this decision.
Perhaps he was trying to send a message to his players for their poor performance, or maybe he simply didn’t care. Regardless of the reasoning, there's no defensible answer—it's standard practice to protect your star players when it’s clear the game is lost, particularly if your head coach has effectively given up. Which is exactly what Tomlin did when he punted on that 4th & 2.
Steelers Are Regressing At The Worst Time
This is a valid point and certainly deserves the backlash it has received. However, in the grand scheme of the issues and complaints Steeler Nation has after that poor showing, it likely ranks lower on the list. The Steelers have now dropped to 10-6 on the season, and they no longer control the AFC North. It's remarkable how quickly things can change in this league.
The Steelers will await updates on Heyward's health, hoping he'll be ready for the regular season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals. These last three games have drained Steelers fans, who have watched their team’s contender status quickly transform into that of a pretender. The regular season is coming to a close and all of these struggles will quickly be forgotten if Tomlin can take his team on a deep playoff run. Whether that happens remains to be seen.
