The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ legend, James Harrison, has been a Mike Tomlin critique this season. And his latest podcast, Deebo & Joe with Joe Haden, dives straight into what he sees as the real problems in Pittsburgh, from on-field issues to the slow erosion of the winning culture the franchise was once known for. And Harrison isn’t talking in a vacuum.

The Steelers are 6–6, haven’t won a playoff game in years, and look like they might be headed toward Tomlin’s first losing season. Still, Harrison insists the culture isn’t beyond repair. He pointed to Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots as an example of how a strong, disciplined culture can be rebuilt over time.

“Mike Vrabel went in there and immediately changed the culture,” Harrison said. “And you know how he did that? He started with his coaches, and then did it with his players. Soon as he took that job, what was the first thing he did? He went and got him an OC and a DC that fit the culture that he wanted to create.” Indeed!

When the Patriots hired Vrabel this year, he wasted no time in bringing Josh McDaniels back as offensive coordinator. A familiar face with a long New England pedigree. McDaniels spent 18 of his 23 NFL seasons in Foxborough and oversaw some of the most explosive offenses in league history, including the 2007 record-setting unit and the Brady-led stretch from 2012 to 2017. His offenses finished top-10 eight different times and even claimed the No. 1 spot multiple seasons.

Fast forward to 2025, and the impact is obvious. With McDaniels back in the building, Drake Maye has surged into the MVP conversation, and the Patriots enter Week 14 with the league’s seventh-ranked offense. And Vrabel paired that move with another familiar connection, hiring Terrell Williams as defensive coordinator.

Williams spent six years with Vrabel in Tennessee, coaching the defensive line and later serving as assistant head coach. Under his guidance, the Titans ranked fourth in rushing yards allowed from 2018–23 and even finished No. 1 in run defense in 2022.

Now in New England, Williams has delivered similar results. Through 13 weeks, the Patriots’ defense sits seventh in total defense and sixth in defensive EPA. Talk about a dramatic turnaround from recent years. But that wasn’t the only decision that Harrison highlighted behind a successful cultural shift under Vrabel in New England.

“Now what did he do then?” Harrison asked. “He signed and released so many players. It was ridiculous in the first five-six months that he got there at the beginning of January…The players he released, he signed, he did all that. Immediately, he done changed the culture.”

Right after arriving in Foxborough, Vrabel took a sledgehammer to the roster with big staff turnover and only a handful of holdovers from the Jerod Mayo regime. He also didn’t hesitate to cut people. In August, the head coach released 14 players at once as part of trimming from 90 to 53.

On top of that, Vrabel added key weapons to the roster. We’re talking about the DT Milton Williams on a four-year, $104 million deal, CB Carlton Davis on a three-year, $60 million deal, LB Harold Landry III on a three-year, $43.5 million deal, and Robert Spillane on a three-year $37 million deal to bolster the defense.

As for the offensive side of the ball, Vrabel brought right tackle Morgan Moss on a three-year deal. And one of his biggest steals that time came when he brought Stefon Diggs to a struggling receiving corps. As a result, the Patriots are now 11-2, with a 10-game win streak and their best start since 2016.

Through 13 weeks, the Patriots are now 8th in points scored, 7th in points allowed, and top-10 in both yards gained and yards allowed per game. This is exactly why James Harrison isn’t shying away from praising Mike Vrabel and a cultural change in New England. As for Mike Tomlin and the Steelers…well, the Steelers’ legend just called out the front office to fire the head coach.

James Harrison echoed the sentiment of the Steelers’ fans

The Steelers’ sixth loss of the season, an ugly 26-7 defeat to the Buffalo Bills, hit hard. But what cut deeper for Tomlin wasn’t the scoreboard. It was the reaction inside Acrisure Stadium, as the fans broke into loud “Fire Tomlin” chants. Since then, frustration has only intensified, with supporters calling on the front office to make a change. And even franchise legend James Harrison added his voice to the criticism.

“Something has to be done. I know the Steelers historically don’t move on from coaches, but I think it’s time that history be made,” the Steelers legend said.

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The Steelers aren’t a franchise known for quick triggers. They’ve made it 56 seasons with only three head coaches. Chuck Noll for 23 years, Bill Cowher for 15, and now Mike Tomlin in year 19. Stability has always been part of their identity. And while Art Rooney hasn’t made any moves or shown much urgency to do so, the outside noise is getting harder to ignore.

Calls to fire Tomlin keep growing louder, even as some have floated his name for the Penn State job. Whether Pittsburgh ultimately sticks with him or decides it’s finally time for a change in 2026 remains an open question.