Mike Tomlin and the Steelers just handled business in Week 15. The Black and Gold rolled past the Dolphins 28-15 and kept the good vibes flowing at Acrisure Stadium. Yet the win was only part of the story. During the game, Steelers Nation got another reason to cheer. The franchise revealed its 2025 Hall of Honor class. And after the final whistle, Tomlin also talked about these Steelers legends.

In the post-game conference, Tomlin made sure the spotlight stayed where it belonged. He praised the men who helped build the black and gold standard.

“I’d also like to recognize our Hall of Honor inductees, man, just quality, black and gold Steelers men. Great to not only welcome them into that fold but also see many of their teammates here in town supporting them. That never gets old, seeing those guys, and hopefully they had a really good weekend,” Tomlin said.

Notably, Maurkice Pouncey, Joey Porter, and Ben Roethlisberger were celebrated as the 2025 Hall of Honor inductees at halftime of Monday night’s rematch against the Dolphins. And it was a moment to witness.

“It means more than anything,” Pouncey said before Monday night’s game when asked about going into the Steelers’ Hall of Honor with Roethlisberger.

Later on, Pouncey kept it real. He did not pick a single memory. He picked the journey, all 11 years.

“I tell people all the time, it’s bigger than football,” Pouncey said. “I think the organization part, the fan part of it, the teammate part of it, that meant a lot more than just winning football games all the time. This organization is built a lot different.”

Then there is the bond under center. Pouncey snapped every meaningful ball of his career to Roethlisberger. That connection ran deep. Big Ben never hid it. During his Hall of Honor speech, the emotion showed.

“Pounce was a special guy. First and foremost, it was his heart. He had so much heart and passion for the game, for protecting his quarterback, for being the greatest. He just took pride in his work, and he worked his butt off both on and off the field,” Roethlisberger said during his speech.

And Joey Porter’s story ties generations together. He shared the field with Roethlisberger from 2004 to 2006. Later, he coached in Pittsburgh from 2014 to 2018, crossing paths with Pouncey. The black and gold stayed constant.

“It’s a great accomplishment. It’s a great honor,” Porter said of going into the Hall of Honor.

Drafted in 1999, Porter has spent nearly 30 years tied to the Steelers. Now, he joins the legends.

Interestingly, this celebration also provided a stage for Roethlisberger to clarify his previous comments on Mike Tomlin.

Ben Roethlisberger addresses his ‘clean house’ comments

Ahead of his Hall of Honor induction, Roethlisberger addressed the buzz around his recent remarks. Many heard them as a push to move on from Mike Tomlin. That was never the point. So Big Ben made sure Steelers Nation heard it straight from him. But he pushed back on the idea that he took a shot at the head coach.

“I don’t think I said anything negative. Just because I said that, you know, there’s a time for maybe some new things, that’s just saying that I think, you know, Coach Tomlin, if he wants to move on, he has every right to want to move on,” Roethlisberger said.

“It’s not that they should. It’s up to him. He’s earned that right. And that, you know, if he wants to go do something else, he can and he should, and we should honor him when that time comes. Whenever that is. Maybe he wants to coach another ten years. That’s fine, too.”

For context, the conversation picked up after the Steelers fell 26-7 to the Bills at Acrisure Stadium. Frustration poured out. Fans chanted “Fire Tomlin.” The mood turned heavy. Soon after, on Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, the longtime QB floated the idea of change.

“Maybe it’s time,” Roethlisberger said previously. “Maybe a fresh start for him is what’s best. Whether that’s in the pros, maybe go be Penn State’s head coach.”

Still, the bigger question remains. Tomlin’s résumé stands tall. Two Super Bowl trips. One Lombardi. A legacy built with Roethlisberger. Yet the Steelers have not won a playoff game since 2016. Now, let’s see how things go from here for Tomlin and the Steelers.