Steelers Insider Said Controversial Mike Tomlin Trade Comment By Jay Glazer Shouldn't Be Ignored

The Pittsburgh Steelers are doing better than many other teams in the NFL at 7-6. However, that is definitely not good enough for Steelers fans or the majority of the media analysts. Weeks after the universe called for the firing of Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada after the disastrous loss to the Cleveland Browns, the team is still struggling. After letting him go, fans got to watch a brief resurgence before they fell apart and lost back-to-back games to two 2-10 teams. This has created a realization that Canada might not have been the only problem and fingers are being pointed at everyone from Art Rooney II, Head Coach Mike Tomlin, and everyone in between. Frankly, almost no one has been safe from criticism.

A great deal of the pointed fingers have been directly at Tomlin. This has created media scrum about what should happen to the Super Bowl-winning coach. Should he be fired? Will he quit? Will he be traded? This last possibility was recently suggested by Fox Sports analyst Jay Glazer. He talked about the Tomlin trade rumors and suggested that the Washington Commanders should move on from their Head Coach Ron Rivera and make a trade for Tomlin. The comment got some attention, but not as much as one Steelers insider expected. 

On a recent episode of The Ramon Foster Show, the topic came up. Ramon Foster, who played on the Steelers offensive line, now co-hosts a podcast with sports reporter Dejan Kovacevic on DK Pittsburgh Sports. Kovacevic has been a trusted reporter in Pittsburgh for many years and he said he was surprised that fans didn't take this more seriously.  

"Jay Glazer is Mike Tomlin's only trusted media person and I don't think that's an exaggeration. They're friends, they hook up together and Tomlin makes no secret of this. When Glazer comes to camp, he's riding around in a cart with him. Where Glazer is concerned, the one thing I've learned over the years, is that when you hear Glazer say something about Tomlin or about the Steelers, it came from Tomlin almost without fail," said Kovacevic.

Kovacevic reminded Foster that Glazer made this recommendation that the Commanders consider trading for Tomlin. He said that to him, it makes a lot of sense because Tomlin is originally from Virginia. Tomlin isn't from the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) Metro area, he is from further south in Newport News and went to college at William and Mary. However, the majority of people in Southern Virginia are Commanders fans. Foster acknowledged that it makes a lot of sense, "everybody wants to go home."   

It is hard to imagine Art Rooney II firing Tomlin. Part of the "Steelers Way" is how they stand by their coaches, having had only three coaches since hiring Chuck Noll in 1969. There is a school of thought that Tomlin himself might be done, maybe he is ready for a change or is being encouraged to be ready for one. 

If The Steelers Trade Mike Tomlin To Washington, What Would It Look Like?

There aren't nearly as many coaching trades as there are player trades, so it is understandable that it feels unfamiliar to folks. However, there have been some that have worked out exceptionally well, like the Bill Belichick trade from the New York Jets to the New England Patriots. Kovacevic had another example of a great coaching trade and how it could be beneficial to both Washington and Pittsburgh. 

"It's not like the Commanders have been coached really well for a while. I believe that Tomlin has football left in him and if you're the Steelers, why fire somebody when you can get yourself a couple of really good draft picks for them? That's the way these head coaches go, if you look at the going rate, look at Sean Payton in Denver, might be the coach of the year."

Sean Payton was traded from the New Orleans Saints to the Denver Broncos with Denver acquiring his contract. The compensation to the Saints was Denver's 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 second-round pick, and a 2024 third-round pick. The Broncos did have an extra first-round pick from their trade of linebacker Bradley Chubb.

During his time in New Orleans, Payton got the Saints a Super Bowl title and became the winningest coach in franchise history. The Saints' high-powered offense planned by Payton and executed by quarterback Drew Brees shredded defenses. 

Kovaceivc said that he just couldn't believe this comment wasn't taken more seriously by the fans. He said that you have to know how to filter out the "news reports" you encounter to know what is real and what isn't. Most of these reports that come from "someone close to the team" are made up, but that isn't how he views anything from Glazer. 

"That might as well be Tomlin getting caught spray painting it on the top of Mount Washington," exclaimed Kovacevic.

According to the two, the Steelers will not trade a coach for a coach. In this scenario, Rivera would be out of business and the Steelers would hire a new coach, hopefully from outside the organization. They would then be able to use the acquired draft picks to help that new coach build a new team.