Back when Bill Cowher was the head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, he had a system for Steel City gas stations. Win on Sunday, and he could stop for fuel and chat with fans at any time of the day. Lose, and he would wait until 10:30 P.M., slip in under darkness, and avoid the armchair coordinators who’d corner him at the pump. Those same fans are now screaming for head coach Mike Tomlin’s head. And Cowher? He’s not having it.

“Fire Tomlin” chants rattled Acrisure Stadium during Week 13’s 26-7 defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. The boos were loud enough to drown out “Renegade,” and the chants were hard to ignore by Coach Tomlin himself. But Cowher didn’t flinch.

“Well, they’re very passionate fans,” Cowher said on the Dan Patrick Show. “The fact of the matter is, we know with five games to go, they still have a chance to win their division. – from Mike’s standpoint, I know one thing, he’s not going to let the outside noise influence or how he’s going to change his approach to this next game. He knows it’s a lot at stake. They’re not playing great football right now. He’s got to find a way to rally that group and get them to believe that they still have a chance to win this division.”

Cowher gets it. He spent 15 years navigating these same waters, coaching his hometown team with a target on his back. The pressure wasn’t just about wins and losses. It was a responsibility to represent that city. When things went south during his tenure, fans wouldn’t greet him anymore. They’d whisper as Cowher walked past. That same weight now crushes Tomlin. When asked about the firing chants post-game, even he admitted the disappointment.

“Man, I share their frustration tonight,” Tomlin said. “We didn’t do enough. That’s just the reality of it.”

The schedule ahead is also a mixed bag. The Baltimore Ravens twice, the Detroit Lions, the Cleveland Browns, and the Miami Dolphins. Not exactly a peaceful stretch. Stumble further beyond 6-6, and the chants get louder, the hot seat hotter. But is Mike Tomlin’s job actually at risk in the face of a frustrated city?

Mike Tomlin’s football future

While the fans chanted, ESPN’s Adam Schefter delivered the cold truth on the Pat McAfee Show: Tomlin isn’t getting fired.

“I’ve always felt like if a change ever occurs there, it’s going to be because Mike Tomlin doesn’t want to be back there,” Schefter said flatly. Tomlin’s numbers tell two kinds of stories: 18 consecutive non-losing seasons versus zero playoff wins since 2016. But if Mike Tomlin does decide to leave Steel City, it won’t be the end of his career.

Schefter compared it to Andy Reid’s exit from the Philadelphia Eagles. When Reid’s time in Philly was up, he chose the Kansas City Chiefs, found a franchise quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, and built a dynasty that brought him three Lombardi trophies. Mike Tomlin could have a similar trajectory if Pittsburgh isn’t an option anymore.

“If Mike Tomlin were a coaching free agent, he automatically would become the number one coaching free agent out there,” Schefter explained. “He could have any coaching job he wanted. He could have any broadcasting job he wanted.”

“Maybe the Steelers fans clearly have had enough of Mike Tomlin,” Schefter added. “But they’re not firing Mike Tomlin. That’s not going to happen.”

The Steelers have had just three coaches since 1969. Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin. That’s the standard and the brand. Regardless of the season’s struggles, Pittsburgh doesn’t panic or chase trends.

Five games remain with the divisional title still in play. In the final stretch of the season, results will speak louder than stadium chants ever could. Tomlin just needs to spark his team, keep them healthy, and fight until January. The gas station philosophers can keep their opinions until after this season’s midnight.