When a player’s body breaks down, the real test isn’t on the field, it’s in the coach’s office. Back in 2007, Pittsburgh Steelers legend Ryan Clark suffered a sickle-cell–related medical emergency that led to surgery to remove his spleen. Once doctors told him he’d be okay, it sparked a risky confidence. Clark immediately wanted back on the field.

“We’re trying to convince him (Tomlin) to let me play,” Clark recently revealed on the Downs2Business podcast. “We’re probably like five-ten minutes through, and he goes, ‘Really? No, I’m listening to this bulls**t.’ He said, ‘If you’re my son, I wouldn’t let you play.’ He’s like, ‘I couldn’t look at Jaden, I couldn’t look at Jordan, I couldn’t look at Loghan (Clark’s sons). I couldn’t look at Yaka (Clark’s wife).”

Clark had started lining up doctors and pushing his case, trying to convince Mike Tomlin to clear him as quickly as possible. That’s where things could’ve gone sideways. If Tomlin had signed off, Clark’s career and health might have taken a very different turn. But Tomlin didn’t respond like a head coach chasing wins. He responded like a human, like a father figure. And that decision is one Clark has never forgotten.

That moment didn’t come out of nowhere. Clark had dealt with spleen issues even before arriving in Pittsburgh. Still, it didn’t stop him from playing a full season in 2006, when he recorded 72 combined tackles. But the following year changed everything.

During a game against the Denver Broncos at Invesco Field at Mile High in 2007, Clark developed severe pain in his left side and had to be rushed to the hospital. Doctors later determined he had suffered a splenic infarction, triggered by his sickle-cell trait, a condition he’d had since childhood. High altitude played a major role, and Denver’s elevation made it the worst possible place for it to happen.

The result was brutal. Clark had both his spleen and gallbladder removed, ending his season. He lost 30 pounds during recovery. Still, even then, he remained determined to return to the field.

“The emotion comes a long way after,” Clark said back then. “Before the surgery I never thought it was over because the doctor kept telling me it wasn’t. Once I had the surgery I knew I was done for the year, but the doctors were optimistic telling me I would be back.”

That optimism is exactly why Tomlin’s decision mattered so much. Had Clark rushed back, the consequences could have been far worse than a lost season. Tomlin saw that. Instead of acting like a coach tied to wins and losses, he acted like a man protecting another man’s life.

“That taught me a lot about Coach Tomlin as a man,” Clark added on the podcast. “Because so many of these coaches know that their careers are tied to wins and losses, and they’ll do whatever it takes in that moment. He chose me as a person and as a human, as a father, as a brother, as a son over the free safety. And I’ll never forget that.”

After his recovery, Clark returned in 2008. He went on to win his first Super Bowl ring that season. From there, he played several more years under Tomlin’s guidance, fully reestablishing himself before eventually closing out his NFL career with the Washington Redskins.

Fast forward to now, and the situation has changed in Pittsburgh. The Steelers haven’t won a Super Bowl since then, and the calls to fire Tomlin have begun to mount. Amidst all this, Clark has shared his opinion on his former coach being subject to these calls.

Ryan Clark clears his stance on calls to fire Mike Tomlin

The Steelers’ season has taken a sharp turn over the last couple of weeks. After an ugly 26–7 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh has responded with back-to-back statement wins. We’re talking a 27–22 road victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14, followed by a 28–15 win over the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football.

Still, the chants to “Fire Tomlin” from the Bills game haven’t completely faded. Ryan Clark wasn’t shy about where he stands when it comes to Mike Tomlin’s job security.

“I’ve said it before,” Clark revealed on the Rich Eisen Show. “I believe that Mike Tomlin is un-fireable in Pittsburgh. That doesn’t mean he should be there forever.”

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While Clark did back Tomlin to not be fired, he also shed light upon how his style of coaching may not exactly be conducive for a championship at the moment. He believes Tomlin isn’t going anywhere, at least not unless he decides to walk away on his own. But not everyone in Steelers history sees it the same way. Legends like James Harrison and Ben Roethlisberger haven’t shied away from suggesting that it might be time for Tomlin to step aside, and their reasoning isn’t hard to follow.

The Steelers haven’t won a postseason game in around a decade, and since Big Ben’s retirement, the franchise still hasn’t developed its next long-term quarterback. For a fanbase used to sustained success, that combination has fueled growing calls for a culture reset, one that many believe starts at the top.

The Steelers enter this stretch with 61% playoff odds, a number that could jump into the late 70s with a win over the Lions. With fire chants echoing through Pittsburgh and speculation swirling about Tomlin’s future, this postseason isn’t just another campaign. Everything begins Sunday, and one slip could make this playoff push as much about the coach’s legacy as the team’s chances.