Mike Tomlin coaching record: How Steelers head coach avoided a losing season for 15 years in NFL

Sam Jarden

Mike Tomlin coaching record: How Steelers head coach avoided a losing season for 15 years in NFL image

The Steelers didn't get the miracle they needed to make the playoffs, but what Pittsburgh accomplished in the second half of the season to get over. 500 was nothing short of one.

After a dreadful start to the season, the Steelers committed to rookie QB Kenny Pickett and closed the season going 7-2 in their final nine games. 

When all was said and done, Pittsburgh finished the season 9-8 and just outside of playoff contention.

They wrapped up the season with back-to-back 4th quarter comeback wins over the Raiders and Ravens in Week 16 and Week 17, respectively. 

Perhaps not making the playoffs will sting for Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin a little less after he led the Steelers to 16-straight winning seasons, a feat that seemed destined to be broken and improbably accomplished.

Yet, the 2022 season concludes an Tomlin once again has a .500 or better record.

Here's a closer look at the streak Tomlin and the Steelers are trying to keep intact over the final three games of the season:

Mike Tomlin coaching record

Here's a breakdown of each of Tomlin's 16 seasons at the helm in Pittsburgh.

Year Won Lost Tied Finish Result
2007 10 6 0 1st in AFC North Lost in wild card round
2008 12 4 0 1st in AFC North Won Super Bowl 43
2009 9 7 0 3rd in AFC North Missed playoffs
2010 12 4 0 1st in AFC North Lost in Super Bowl 45
2011 12 4 0 2nd in AFC North Lost in wild card round
2012 8 8 0 3rd in AFC North Missed playoffs
2013 8 8 0 2nd in AFC North Missed playoffs
2014 11 5 0 1st in AFC North Lost in wild card round
2015 10 6 0 2nd in AFC North Lost in divisional round
2016 11 5 0 1st in AFC North Lost in AFC Championship
2017 13 3 0 1st in AFC North Lost in divisional round
2018 9 6 1 2nd in AFC North Missed playoffs
2019 8 8 0 2nd in AFC North Missed playoffs
2020 12 4 0 1st in AFC North Lost in wild card round
2021 9 7 1 2nd in AFC North Lost in wild card round
2022 9 8 0 3rd in AFC North Missed playoffs

Has Mike Tomlin ever had a losing season?

In more than 16 years as an NFL head coach, Tomlin has never finished a season below .500. He has finished at .500 three times, in 2012, 2013 and 2019. In each of his other 12 full seasons, Tomlin has a winning record. He has also made the playoffs 10 times in his career.

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Keeping the streak intact is something that motivated players to keep fighting as they closed out the year. 

"It's real important to us," wide receiver Diontae Johnson said. "Obviously he's been having winning seasons pretty much every year. We want to finish out strong for him and us, as well."

"I take pride in it. I don’t want to be on that team that snaps that streak," safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said. "I know coach Tomlin takes a lot of pride in what he does. I take a lot of pride in what I do. So if I can do anything I can to keep that streak alive, that’s what I am going to do."

Tomlin, on the other hand, has downplayed the significance of the streak. 

"Our agenda this year is to get into a single-elimination tournament and then pit our skills against others in that single-elimination tournament in an effort to win the world championship," he said, per CBS Sports. "That's our mentality every year."

When was the last time the Steelers had a losing season?

Even before Tomlin arrived, you have to go further back to find the last time Pittsburgh finished below .500. That would be in 2003, under Bill Cowher.

That means the franchise has gone 18 full seasons without a losing record — the third-longest streak of its kind in NFL history. The only two organizations to put together longer streaks without a losing season are the Patriots (19 seasons, from 2001-19) and the Cowboys (20 seasons, 1966-85). 

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Cowher, Tomlin's predecessor, had only three losing seasons in his 15 years at the helm. Chuck Noll, Cowher's predecessor, had seven in his 23 years in charge. Clearly, the franchise has had incredible leaders through the years, as that kind of stability is extraordinarily difficult to come by in the NFL.

The team is looking to keep both streaks intact by winning its last four games. It would be quite the feat, but it would be wise not to bet against Tomlin pulling it off.

Longest tenured active head coaches

Mike Tomlin is the second-longest tenured active head coach in the NFL, behind only Bill Belichick.

Name Team Total years Year hired
Bill Belichick New England Patriots 23 2000
Mike Tomlin Pittsburgh Steelers 16 2007
John Harbaugh Baltimore Ravens 15 2008
Pete Carroll Seattle Seahawks 13 2010
Andy Reid Kansas City Chiefs 10 2013
Sean McDermott Buffalo Bills 6 2017
Sean McVay Los Angeles Rams 6 2017
Kyle Shanahan San Francisco 49ers 6 2017
Mike Vrabel Tennessee Titans 5 2018
Kliff Kingsbury Arizona Cardinals 4 2019

All-time NFL head coach winning percentage

Tomlin is in 22nd place in the rankings for all-time head coach winning percentage. 

Rank

Coach

W-L%

1

Guy Chamberlin

.784

2

John Madden

.759

3

Vince Lombardi

.738

4

Matt LaFleur

.723

5

George Allen

.712

6

Jim Harbaugh

.695

7

Tommy Hughitt

.694

8

Blanton Collier

.691

9

Ray Flaherty

.684

10

George Halas

.682

11

Don Shula

.677

12

Paul Brown

.672

13

Tony Dungy

.668

14

Bill Belichick

.664

15

Jim Lee Howell

.663

16

Roy Andrews

.654

17

George Seifert

.648

18

Paddy Driscoll

.646

19

Red Miller

.645

20

Andy Reid

.641

21

Sean McDermott

.635

22

Mike Tomlin

.634

23

Curly Lambeau

.631

24

Sean Payton

.631

25

Barry Switzer

.625

* Bold denotes current NFL head coaches

Sam Jarden

Sam Jarden Photo

Sam Jarden joined Sporting News as an intern in 2020 and returned as a content producer in 2022. In between, he spent a year and a half at Turner Sports, managing the social media accounts for Bleacher Report, NBA on TNT, NBA TV and others. A proud UNC alumnus, he spends his free time following the Tar Heels, Buffalo Bills and Newcastle United FC, and has been known to occasionally hit the links.