Who was better: Bill Cowher or Mike Tomlin?

[Brian wolf]

I go with Cowher as well -- his offensive personnel were never as talented as Tomlin's -- but I feel team ownership will commit to the next HC a lot longer than other organizations. The next HC will at least get four years minimum to at least develop a young, talented prospect. Yes, Steelers fans, this team may have to lose more than 12 games in a single season to get that prospect, unless a sleeper like Purdy, can to be found.

[7DnBrnc53]

Also, when should Cowher and Tomlin have each been fired in your opinion?

Tomlin should have been fired after the 2016 loss to NE in the AFC Title Game (a week after the postgame debacle online with AB and other players).

As for Cowher, it wouldn't have been bad if they chose Donahoe over him in 1999. Cowher lost a lot of home playoff games at that point, including to that dog Charger team in 1994.

[Brian wolf]

On the other thread, I felt they should have cut the chord on Tomlin after Big Ben's last game. Pickett, Rudolph, Wilson and Rodgers couldnt win a playoff game.

I think the Steelers were wise to keep Cowher, though he like Noll and Tomlin, would resign himself.

[74_75_78_79_]

In '92, if you all remember, it was Joe Greene at first who was expected to take over for Noll; his obvious legendary status with the franchise along with he also being an assistant. But then they picked Cowher instead who I never heard of. I should have heard of him. I was following the game more-than enough thus should have known who Schottenheimer's DC was. He apparently was a 'hot' commodity throughout the league at the time.

And then in '07, the big names at first were both Whisenhunt & Grimm - two assistants as well. But, again, they went outside by picking Tomlin who I also never heard of before (and should have heard about).

Joe Paterno, coming off his third season as Penn State's HC along with an undefeated season (with another one to come in '69), was supposed to be Bill Austin's successor.

How many of you who were around at the time thought that Austin would do well in the 'Burgh, given he was from the School of Vince, and all?


Yeah, I still lean on Cowher. Close-enough margin, but not a 'photo-finish' needed here. 2008 had enough of Tomlin's fingerprints on it. As too simple the rationale, the he simply not being able to get back to sleep and seeing on practice films his defense not all finding someone to block after INTs, and then he instilling that in practice there-on-out thus the...100 yard Harrison return!! Yes, it was already "Tomlin's team" by then, but what was established just beforehand (SBXL just two years before his arrival) still may warrant a few extra 'points' for Cowher.

It’s been said by some that Tomlin was "too good a coach for his own good" in that he turned apparent otherwise bad teams into fringe playoff teams thus never the big-enough draft picks. I guess it can be debated if there’s some, or more than just some, truth to this.

His big thing, sadly, was his inability to 'solve' Brady/Belichick whereas at least Peyton (Dungy, Fox, Kubiak), Coughlin/Eli, John Harbaugh/Flacco, and even Rex/Sanchez ('17 Foles & '19 Vrabel too) were each able to top them in the playoffs at least once (Tomlin is better than most of these HCs).

But Cowher, up through 2004, struggled as well in those home AFCCGs (and was a skin-of-a-hair from losing to Indy in '95) and had big-game problems with Brady/Belichick. But at least Cowher made it to those extra AFCCGs so, again, with he getting the nod with me.

Tomlin's time with Pittsburgh more beginning-heavy (two SB-berths in his first four seasons), Cowher not having his very best regular season until 'year 13', and not having his most-successful campaign-period until 'year 14' (the year that many a casual fan may think was his very final season). And that 'beginning-heavy-ness' of Tomlin's time may be attributed to he taking over for all that Cowher did, along with Big Ben suddenly getting it into that next gear (early cobwebs now gone) thus, again, leading me to give Cowher the nod.

But another Lombardi, especially an additional SB-appearance, for Tomlin at his next destination could change the narrative here. Let's still see.

It really would have been nice to have seen Cowher have himself a 'second act' somewhere else (right around the time Bill O'Brien left Penn St - and I didn't want him to leave at the immediate time - I would have LOVED seeing Cowher take over; I believe there were subtle rumors at the time). Curious to how he would have done in that hypo second NFL HC stint. Now at 68 (man, wouldn't have thought until looking it up just now) he's already eight years older than Vermeil was when he made his comeback with the Rams in '97. Maybe it's still possible but heavily doubtful at this point.

[7DnBrnc53]

But another Lombardi, especially an additional SB-appearance, for Tomlin at his next destination could change the narrative here. Let's still see.

I have been hearing rumblings about how he may be done for good. If he never coaches again, I wouldn't be surprised.

Tomlin won't get the long leash at most other places like he did at Pittsburgh, and he probably knows that. Maybe Cowher knew that as well.

[SeahawkFever]

But another Lombardi, especially an additional SB-appearance, for Tomlin at his next destination could change the narrative here. Let's still see.

I have been hearing rumblings about how he may be done for good. If he never coaches again, I wouldn't be surprised.

Tomlin won't get the long leash at most other places like he did at Pittsburgh, and he probably knows that. Maybe Cowher knew that as well.

The only other team I can think of with a similarly long leash for coaches is the Bengals, and they are keeping their coach.

Cincinnati on a side note kept Marvin Lewis for I believe 15 seasons and never won a playoff game with him (they could’ve in 2015 if not for the collapse at the end, but other than that)

Imagine the kind of leash someone like Cowher or in particular Tomlin could’ve been hypothetically given by that team with a lot of early playoff success on their resume (ex: If Tomlin went there after 2010, or Cowher after 1995 or 97)

[SeahawkFever]

But another Lombardi, especially an additional SB-appearance, for Tomlin at his next destination could change the narrative here. Let's still see.

I have been hearing rumblings about how he may be done for good. If he never coaches again, I wouldn't be surprised.

Tomlin won't get the long leash at most other places like he did at Pittsburgh, and he probably knows that. Maybe Cowher knew that as well.

The only other team I can think of with a similarly long leash for coaches is the Bengals, and they are keeping their coach.

Cincinnati on a side note kept Marvin Lewis for I believe 15 seasons and never won a playoff game with him (they could’ve in 2015 if not for the collapse at the end, but other than that)

Imagine the kind of leash someone like Cowher or in particular Tomlin could’ve been hypothetically given by that team with a lot of early playoff success on their resume (ex: If Tomlin went there after 2010, or Cowher after 1995 or 97)

[SeahawkFever]

In '92, if you all remember, it was Joe Greene at first who was expected to take over for Noll; his obvious legendary status with the franchise along with he also being an assistant. But then they picked Cowher instead who I never heard of. I should have heard of him. I was following the game more-than enough thus should have known who Schottenheimer's DC was. He apparently was a 'hot' commodity throughout the league at the time.

And then in '07, the big names at first were both Whisenhunt & Grimm - two assistants as well. But, again, they went outside by picking Tomlin who I also never heard of before (and should have heard about).

Joe Paterno, coming off his third season as Penn State's HC along with an undefeated season (with another one to come in '69), was supposed to be Bill Austin's successor.

How many of you who were around at the time thought that Austin would do well in the 'Burgh, given he was from the School of Vince, and all?


Yeah, I still lean on Cowher. Close-enough margin, but not a 'photo-finish' needed here. 2008 had enough of Tomlin's fingerprints on it. As too simple the rationale, the he simply not being able to get back to sleep and seeing on practice films his defense not all finding someone to block after INTs, and then he instilling that in practice there-on-out thus the...100 yard Harrison return!! Yes, it was already "Tomlin's team" by then, but what was established just beforehand (SBXL just two years before his arrival) still may warrant a few extra 'points' for Cowher.

It’s been said by some that Tomlin was "too good a coach for his own good" in that he turned apparent otherwise bad teams into fringe playoff teams thus never the big-enough draft picks. I guess it can be debated if there’s some, or more than just some, truth to this.

His big thing, sadly, was his inability to 'solve' Brady/Belichick whereas at least Peyton (Dungy, Fox, Kubiak), Coughlin/Eli, John Harbaugh/Flacco, and even Rex/Sanchez ('17 Foles & '19 Vrabel too) were each able to top them in the playoffs at least once (Tomlin is better than most of these HCs).

But Cowher, up through 2004, struggled as well in those home AFCCGs (and was a skin-of-a-hair from losing to Indy in '95) and had big-game problems with Brady/Belichick. But at least Cowher made it to those extra AFCCGs so, again, with he getting the nod with me.

Tomlin's time with Pittsburgh more beginning-heavy (two SB-berths in his first four seasons), Cowher not having his very best regular season until 'year 13', and not having his most-successful campaign-period until 'year 14' (the year that many a casual fan may think was his very final season). And that 'beginning-heavy-ness' of Tomlin's time may be attributed to he taking over for all that Cowher did, along with Big Ben suddenly getting it into that next gear (early cobwebs now gone) thus, again, leading me to give Cowher the nod.

But another Lombardi, especially an additional SB-appearance, for Tomlin at his next destination could change the narrative here. Let's still see.

It really would have been nice to have seen Cowher have himself a 'second act' somewhere else (right around the time Bill O'Brien left Penn St - and I didn't want him to leave at the immediate time - I would have LOVED seeing Cowher take over; I believe there were subtle rumors at the time). Curious to how he would have done in that hypo second NFL HC stint. Now at 68 (man, wouldn't have thought until looking it up just now) he's already eight years older than Vermeil was when he made his comeback with the Rams in '97. Maybe it's still possible but heavily doubtful at this point.

From a Seahawks fan (and one who complains about Super Bowl XL less than a lot of people at this point), I would take Cowher over Tomlin by a bit.

As stated above, Tomlin has more wins, and a slightly higher win percentage, and while Cowher might’ve had more talent on defense, Tomlin had Big Ben for most of his prime, and thus more stability at quarterback.

While Cowher may not have coached well in his conference championship game losses, the fact remains that he lost more of those than Tomlin ever made in his coaching career.

Also, even if you penalize him for his lone Super Bowl win being a game where the refs were biased in his favor, the fact remains, he helped get them there as a wild card.

Side note: One of the most ironic radio calls in NFL history in my opinion is the Steelers announcer saying “The Pittsburgh Steelers…did it the hard way!”

[Brian wolf]

Looking back at the Seahawks SB loss to the Steelers, the one thing the team consistently did, even in the game itself, was dropping passes. It plagued the Holmgren/Hasselbeck era --and Hasselbeck could throw a beautiful ball--but no wonder, its always slick and wet in that stadium. Ask Tony Romo ...
The receivers caught the ball better there during the Carroll-Wilson era. They are one win away from going back to the SB. Can Darnold and the offense play mistake-free football?