Mike Tomlin has coached some powerhouse Steelers teams over his 19-year tenure, but when asked to name his best, he didn't pick the squad that brought home the Lombardi Trophy. Instead, the new NBC analyst pointed to a team that came up short in the postseason.
Appearing on the Today show's "Glass Half Full" segment, Tomlin made a surprising admission: the 2015 Steelers, who went 10-6 before losing to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round, were the cream of the crop.
"The best team I coached probably didn't win," Tomlin said. "It was probably in the mid-teens, 2015, 16. We lost. Denver won it with Peyton that year at the end of his career, and we lost to those guys in Denver."
That 2015 team was a juggernaut on offense, finishing fourth in the league in scoring—the highest ranking of Tomlin's tenure—despite playing five games without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The defense, while not as dominant as some of his earlier units, was opportunistic enough to make a deep run.
But the postseason proved cruel. In the wild-card round, the Steelers edged the Bengals, but lost Antonio Brown to a concussion on a controversial hit by Vontaze Burfict. Then, in the divisional matchup against Denver, they were also without star running back Le'Veon Bell, who had torn his MCL earlier in the season.
Despite missing two of their biggest weapons, the Steelers outgained the Broncos 396-324, but five field goals from Brandon McManus gave Denver a 23-16 win. Tomlin believes that team had what it took to go all the way if not for those injuries.
"Sometimes things don't come together for you," Tomlin reflected. "We were in that stadium that particular day without Le'Veon Bell, without Antonio Brown due to injury, and so the journey came to an end for us. But that team? That team was as talented as any team I've ever been around. We had the goods."
Tomlin's comments have sparked debate among Steelers fans, many of whom remember the 2015 squad as a what-if. Some point to the Super Bowl-or-bust mentality that now defines the NFL, while others wonder if the current roster can capture that same magic. With Aaron Rodgers now under center for Pittsburgh, there's renewed hope, but Tomlin's revelation serves as a reminder that talent alone doesn't guarantee a title.
As the Steelers prepare for their opener, Tomlin's words echo the sentiment that sometimes the best teams don't always win. For a franchise with six Super Bowl rings, that's a tough pill to swallow, but it's also a testament to the unpredictable nature of football.
