The Steelers are in chaos, and it feels like the situation could easily go from bad to worse. It seems like the franchise is about to crack.
The Joey Porter case is a litmus test of the Steelers’ pride, priorities and common sense. For Coach Mike Tomlin, it’s even more so.
If you need to catch up, click HERE to read about the shenanigans of Porter and Tomlin at North Catholic High School football games. Porter was clearly a much bigger problem than Tomlin.
But everything written about Porter has been confirmed by the police, opposing schools, etc. Even if Tomlin only acted up marginally, he was still there. Porter is his assistant coach. Tomlin did nothing to stop Porter despite how it was going to reflect on him and the Steelers.
There is no logical reason to not fire Porter. But Steelers president Art Rooney II says the decision is Tomlin’s.
Tomlin put Porter back on the sideline just a week after he was arrested at a South Side bar, partying with players. He stood idly by while Porter ran on the field to accost a referee at a high school football game. Tomlin obviously won’t fire Porter. Tomlin is Porter’s buddy, not his boss.
Where is the accountability? Where is the dignity? This isn’t a late hit on the football field, it’s a pattern of bad behavior in the community by a marginal member of the organization.
The Steelers might as well be the Cincinnati Bengals. It won’t get better. It will get worse.