Once a franchise of sustained success, the Pittsburgh Steelers have become one of stagnation. 2025 was yet another season of finding a backdoor into the playoffs thanks to breakdowns inside the AFC North, and then getting humiliated in a playoff game that wasn’t even close. There were some differences this year: Aaron Rodgers was new, DK Metcalf was new, but Mike Tomlin remains the constant — at least for now.
The loss to the Texans on Monday Night Football wasn’t simply a one-and-done trip to the playoffs, but an example in making history for all the wrong reasons.
No. 1: The blowout streak
No. 2: Tomlin stands alone
This began after the 2016 season in which the Steelers lost to Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. Over this span we’ve seen Pittsburgh lose after a first round bye once, and be bounced in the Wild Card Round a staggering five times in a row.
No. 3: Two plays make history
The Steelers also became the first team in NFL history to play in six playoff consecutive games without leading in the second half. Over the span of their losing streak here were the halftime scores in each loss:
Whatever the future holds for Mike Tomlin and the Steelers, nobody can take away the mediocrity they’ve managed to build for themselves over the last several years. Really impressive work.
