At 53, after 19 seasons leading the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Tomlin decided it was time to close the book and chase something new. For Steelers Nation, the news landed heavily. There was pride in the consistency, respect for the ring, and gratitude for the standard. Still, the timing stunned the NFL. Just like that, an era at Acrisure Stadium ended, leaving fans to sit with both appreciation and unfinished questions, including one that has led to backlash.

“A great coach has an added dynamic to it, and that’s mentor. I’m talking about you learned enough from this person that they took your teachings, your guidance, and went on to become a version of you, i.e., a coaching tree. It’s been almost 20 years, and Mike T don’t have a coaching tree,” former linebacker James Harrison spoke on the Deebo & Joe podcast.

According to Harrison, some of Tomlin’s coordinator hires on offense and defense raised eyebrows. More importantly, he hinted that those choices may not have been accidental, suggesting power and control could have played a role.

“You think that is a thing he is bad at doing, or do you think that is a thing that he [Mike Tomlin] purposefully does to keep his position and power? I am not saying that he’s self-sabotaging,” Harrison added. “Is it enough spotlight? Is it enough spotlight to go around? You gotta realize a lot of coaches, when they get this head coach thing, there is a lot of ego that goes with that.”

The conversation then pivoted from theory to history. Harrison pressed Joe Haden directly, pointing to years of criticism aimed at Tomlin’s assistants. Many fans have long questioned the hirings of offensive and defensive coordinators, along with several position coaches. On the other hand, some believe Tomlin’s loyalty shaped those decisions. Add in the Steelers’ long-standing habit of not firing coaches, and the situation becomes even more layered.

Meanwhile, names like Matt Canada and Teryl Austin kept coming up. Tomlin stood by them longer than most in Steelers Nation. That reality fueled Harrison’s question about whether it was poor hiring or fear of losing control. Still, Haden pushed back hard. He made it clear that the idea of Tomlin intentionally weakening his own staff did not sit right.

Tomlin remained a respected voice for Steelers Nation, yet over the past decade, results at Acrisure Stadium rarely matched expectations. The Steelers struggled to build true contenders year after year, and postseason success dried up after the 2016 campaign. This lack of postseason success fueled a growing frustration within the black and gold fanbase.

As seasons passed with uneven play and early exits, questions about the franchise’s direction under Tomlin became impossible to ignore. Now, Harrison’s words add a contentious new chapter to an already complicated legacy.

James Harrison feels Mike Tomlin is not a Hall of Famer

When it comes to Mike Tomlin’s legacy, few voices carry more weight than James Harrison’s. He played under Tomlin from 2007 through 2012 and again from 2014 to 2017, which means he saw everything up close. Tomlin arrived the same year Harrison broke out, locked down a starting role, and later became Defensive Player of the Year. Together, they lifted a Lombardi trophy for Steelers Nation. Because of that shared history, Harrison’s recent comments did not feel random.

On the same episode of Deebo & Joe, Harrison questioned whether Tomlin belongs among the game’s immortals. Harrison’s critique centered on two primary frustrations for fans: the team’s lack of playoff success over the last decade and the absence of a strong coaching tree. To Harrison, those gaps matter just as much as win totals when judging true greatness.

“I can’t give him a Hall of Fame coach because he hasn’t made any disciples,” Harrison said. “You’re telling me you’re a Hall of Fame coach, and no one has followed you? That can’t be the thing. He’s the only coach that has coached this long and does not have a tree. Guys are emotionally attached to him, not performance.”

“A great coach, the measurement of greatness, it’s not based on personal experiences and relationships you’ve had with them. It is purely what you did as a coach. Did you get championships? Did you build disciples? Wins and losses is great, but those wins and losses have to add up to championships. A Hall of Fame coach should be making history for having the longest losing streak in playoff history?”

Still, Harrison did not deny reality. He admitted Tomlin’s resume will likely carry him to Canton.

“I do believe he will get into the Hall just because of the numbers. Do I believe he should be in there? No.”

Still, numbers keep working in Tomlin’s favor. He owns 193 regular-season wins, tied (with Chuck Noll) for the most in Steelers history. His 62.8 percent win rate also stands alone in franchise history. Even with fewer playoff wins than Noll, efficiency matters in these debates. Back in 2008, Tomlin became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl when the Steelers took Super Bowl XLIII, a record that stood until Sean McVay broke it years later.

So now, the real question is not if Tomlin reaches Canton. It is whether he takes another sideline job before his Hall of Fame clock even starts.