Sunday, 12 January 2025

MIKE TOMLIN UNDER FIRE FOR 'COWARDLY' DECISION DURING STEELERS-RAVENS

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin looks on during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Baltimore.
Stephanie Scarbrough/AP

If anyone should understand the importance of not letting the Baltimore Ravens build any sort of momentum, it should be Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

The 52-year-old coach has had a front-row seat to how the Ravens operate as a division rival for the last 18 seasons, but he seemingly threw everything he learned in that time out the window during Saturday's wild-card playoff matchup in Baltimore.

Trailing just 7-0 a little under three minutes into the second quarter, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson hit tight end Pat Friermuth for a 1-yard gain that set up a fourth-and-inches at the Pittsburgh 29-yard line.

But rather than trying to pick up the minimal yardage with 1,000-yard running back Najee Harris, trying a run-pass option with speedy backup QB Justin Fields, or even trying to draw the Ravens defense offside, Tomlin elected to punt the ball away.

The Ravens then marched 85 yards in 13 plays - all runs - and took a 14-0 lead on a Derrick Henry 8-yard touchdown, prompting a few NFL analysts as well as several fans to roast Tomlin on social media for his questionable coaching decision.

"Throwing short of the sticks on 3rd and 2 and following it up with a punt on 4th and inches to give the ball back to the likely NFL MVP " ESPN's Field Yates wrote.

"I mean... I'll keep defending Mike Tomlin but that's an all-time chicken punt," ESPN's Dan Graziano stated.

"Game over. This freaking guy cowardly punts on 4th and 1 inch, then sees his defense continue to get pummeled. It's comical how bad of a coach Mike Tomlin is when it really matters," one fan exclaimed.

"You need 4 inches and you're punting. Mike Tomlin coaches scared more than any ‘great' coach in football," another fan remarked.

"Mike Tomlin punted with less than an inch to get it in a playoff game that you win or go home. He is coaching scared," one user proclaimed.

Pittsburgh punted on their next drive before scoring on their first two drives of the second half. The Ravens won 28-14, and the Steelers haven't made it past the wild-card round of the playoffs since 2017.

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- Michael Gallagher, Athlon Sports

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