The last time the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium was in the Wild-Card round of the 2025 season. The Steelers suffered a brutal 30-6 loss that not only ended their season but also marked the end of Mike Tomlin’s tenure as Pittsburgh’s head coach after nearly two decades leading the franchise.

Fast forward to now, and the NFL has officially released the 2026 schedule. Ironically enough, the Steelers are set to host the Texans once again at Acrisure Stadium. Only this time, Tomlin will still be part of the game, just not on the sideline. Instead, the longtime coach is returning in Week 13 as part of NBC’s broadcast crew.

And almost immediately after the news surfaced, debate broke out across Steelers Nation. Some fans believe Tomlin deserves a standing ovation for leading Pittsburgh to 19 straight non-losing seasons, a Super Bowl title, and years of relevance. Others feel frustrated over the franchise failing to win a playoff game for nearly a decade under his watch.

On Saturday, NFL analyst and host of Steelers Talk, Jack Sperry, addressed the debate publicly. He admitted that he found the entire conversation ridiculous in the first place. Writing on X, Sperry said:

“It’s absolutely absurd that there is actually a discussion of whether or not Steelers fans should cheer or boo Mike Tomlin when he makes his return to Acrisure in Week 13 vs. HOU, not even as an opponent, but as a broadcaster. Was the man perfect? No, but he delivered nearly 2 straight decades of competitive football at worst and legitimately great football for a good chunk of his time here. He deserves a positive reception from Steelers Nation in his return to Acrisure & shame on us as a fanbase if he doesn’t.”

It’s evident that Tomlin’s legacy in Pittsburgh has always carried both sides of that argument. He was far from a perfect coach. But at the same time, calling him unsuccessful would not really be fair either.

Across 19 seasons, Tomlin finished with a 193-114-2 regular-season record, reached the playoffs 13 times, won a Super Bowl, and captured eight division titles. The problem, however, was always the postseason inconsistency. Despite never having a losing season, Tomlin finished just 8-12 in the playoffs. At the same time, he failed to win a postseason game for nearly a decade.

That frustration eventually reached a breaking point after the Wild-Card loss to Houston. That ultimately led to Tomlin stepping away from his role as head coach. Then, following months of uncertainty surrounding his future, the veteran coach eventually joined NBC’s Football Night in America ahead of the 2026 season.

Now, Tomlin is heading back to Acrisure Stadium in Week 13 as a broadcaster. And before he even returns, Steelers fans already seem divided on one question: Should Pittsburgh cheer him or boo him?

Fans are divided on whether to cheer for Mike Tomlin or boo him

Steelers fans are clearly split between appreciating Mike Tomlin’s legacy and frustration over how his tenure ended. On one side, the answer feels obvious. “He deserves a thunderous ‘Thank You Tomlin’ chant all of pregame, post game, and halftime.” Another fan added, “Lets show a little class. That’s what Pittsburgh is known for.”

At the same time, though, a large section of the fanbase still cannot move past the playoff failures. One frustrated fan wrote, “There shouldn’t be a discussion, the easy answer is boo him. He held the franchise down in purgatory for a decade+.” That sentiment has existed around the Steelers for several years now.

Others took it even further while blaming Tomlin for overstaying his tenure in Pittsburgh despite the postseason struggles continuing year after year. “He deserves to be booed for holding us hostage with his mediocrity for 2 decades. If he had been humble enough to recognize his incapacity and had stepped away sooner, then he would have been deserving of cheers.”

Still, not every reaction completely leaned toward one side. Some fans acknowledged both realities surrounding Tomlin’s legacy at once. “He will be cheered. Was a great coach but his ways were antiquated and a change was needed.” And that probably captures the overall mood around Pittsburgh better than anything else right now.