After suffering a walloping 26-7 loss against the Buffalo Bills, the Pittsburgh Steelers fell to a 6-6 record as the second seed in the AFC North. Since this loss, the Steelers Nation has called for the firing of head coach Mike Tomlin, who has been with the team for 18 seasons and has always led Pittsburgh to a winning record.

When asked about these demands, Tomlin agreed with the sentiment of the fans and expressed that he shares the same frustrations with the Steelers suffering their sixth defeat of the season.

“In general, I agree with them — from this perspective. Football is our game,” Tomlin said, as reported by Brendan Howe. “We’re in the sports entertainment business. And so, if you root for the Steelers, entertaining them is winning.”

“And so, when you’re not winning, it’s not entertaining. And if you’ve been in this business, you understand that. And so, I respect it. I share frustrations. I understand what makes this thing go, and winning is what makes this thing go,” Tomlin continued.

But despite this fan reaction, is there any truth to the possible firing of Mike Tomlin as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach? An NFL insider shed some light on the legendary coach’s future.

Insider addresses the possibility of Mike Tomlin’s firing

During the recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN‘s Adam Schefter was asked about Mike Tomlin’s future with the Steelers after the loss against the Buffalo Bills. Sharing his thoughts on Tomlin’s future in Pittsburgh, Schefter believes that a firing is highly unlikely, before highlighting that a split between the head coach and the Steelers would be based on Tomlin’s decision.

“…Yeah, maybe the Steelers fans, clearly, have had enough of Mike Tomlin,” Schefter said. “They’re not firing Mike Tomlin. That’s not going to happen. We’re not going to get one of these announcements that the Steelers have relieved him of his duties the way that we get from other teams.”

Adam Schefter also spoke about how Tomlin could take the Andy Reid path after his long-term tenure as the coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Mike Tomlin — again, I know the people of Pittsburgh don’t like it — hasn’t had a losing season in his 18 years as a head coach,” Schefter continued. “They also haven’t won a playoff game since 2016. It’s both ways. Some people view it one way, other people view it another way. I could say, if they didn’t want Mike Tomlin there, and maybe the message is stale, maybe he moves on like Andy Reid, finds a new home.”

With the Baltimore Ravens next on the schedule, it will all be on the Pittsburgh Steelers to ensure they win the game and stay alive in the playoff hunt by finishing the season strong.