The Steelers Prepare for Another Rookie Challenge in Denver
When the Steelers march into Mile High Stadium this Sunday to face the Broncos, Pittsburgh’s indefatigable head coach, Mike Tomlin, will square off against yet another greenhorn quarterback. This showdown marks Tomlin’s 31st career encounter with a rookie signal-caller.
This week’s opponent? None other than Bo Nix, the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft. The occasion’s not just another day at the office for the seasoned coach, given his impressive track record—a stunning 24-6 against rookie QBs. Earlier this week, my colleague Myles Simmons and I tried our luck at guessing those six losses based solely on the years they occurred. Spoiler alert: we didn’t exactly hit it out of the park.
Want to take a crack at it yourself? Here are the years Mike Tomlin found himself on the losing end to rookies:
- 2023 (twice)
- 2016 (twice)
- 2012
- 2007
As a way to buy you some time to think, here’s a bit of padding to keep those eyes from wandering to the answers.
In 2023, it was a rough patch for the Steelers. They were overwhelmed in Week 4 by C.J. Stroud and the Texans with a crushing 30-6 defeat. Then came Week 11, where the Browns’ Dorian Thompson-Robinson pipped them in a close 13-10 game—a genuine nail-biter that left Steelers fans with palpitating hearts.
Roll back to 2016, and Tomlin again tasted bitter rookie defeat twice. Week 3 saw Carson Wentz and the Eagles handing out a harrowing 34-3 thrashing. Later, in Week 10, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys pulled off a nail-biting victory in Pittsburgh, 35-30.
In 2012, it was Brandon Weeden and the Browns who squeezed out a 20-14 win in Week 12 at Cleveland. Going further back to 2007, Troy Smith and the Ravens edged past the Steelers in Week 17, clinching a 27-21 victory.
The Curse of the Browns and Other Tall Tales
Half of Tomlin’s losses to rookies have come at the hands of the new Browns/old Browns—a staggering stat. And the enigmatic quarterbacks behind these setbacks? Let’s just say most didn’t exactly forge Hall of Fame careers (though there’s still time for Dorian Thompson-Robinson to defy the skeptics and write his own legend).
The Weight of Anticipation on Nix’s Shoulders
Tomorrow, Bo Nix will get his golden chance to etch his name in the annals of NFL history by dragging Tomlin’s success rate against rookie quarterbacks below 80 percent. Given the steely performance of the Pittsburgh defense in Atlanta last week, Nix better lace up his lucky cleats. It’s going to be an uphill battle.
So, tune in, grab your popcorn and get ready to witness whether the rookie phenom can topple the seasoned giant. The stakes are high, and if history tells us anything, it’s that Tomlin doesn’t go down easy.
Football fans, buckle up—this one’s going to be a thriller!**
