A few weeks ago, I wrote about how great the Ravens-Steelers rivalry was; now I want to drill down a bit deeper and look at a rivalry within that great rivalry: John Harbaugh vs. Mike Tomlin. True, they (probably) won’t square off mano et mano at midfield to decide the game om Sunday, but the matchup between these two successful and long-tenured coaches is worth some deeper consideration.
First, as I am wont to do, let’s glance at the numbers. Tomlin has a slight edge in the head-to-head matchup with a record of 16-14 (14-13 in the regular season, 2-1 in the playoffs). Their upcoming 31st meeting will move them into a tie with the Giants’ Steve Owens and Curly Lambeau ( of the Packers, Cardinals, and Redskins) for most career meetings between head coaches in NFL history.
When you pull back and look at these coaches’ overall careers, there still isn’t much to separate them. Harbaugh, in his 14th year as the Ravens head coach has a record of 137-86 (.614) in the regular season, 11-8 in the playoffs with one Super Bowl championship. Tomlin, in his 15th year as the Steelers’ head coach, owns a 152-85-2 (.640) record in the regular season, 8-8 in the playoffs, and one Super Bowl championship. Tomlin’s winning percentage is only behind Bill Belichick’s among active coaches with at least 100 games, while Harbaugh is sixth on that list.
The 2021 season, barring an unrealistic post-season run by either team, is not going to be remembered as a high-water mark in either Harbaugh’s or Tomlin’s career. Many fans in both Baltimore and Pittsburgh would passionately agree with that statement, going so far as to call for their home team’s coach to be fired because they failed to win the AFC North in a season where it was there to be won, but they couldn’t beat Cincinnati. Amazingly, the Bengals outscored the Ravens and Steelers by a combined 147-58 this season.
Yet Harbaugh and Tomlin have managed to lead their teams to the final game of the season still (technically) alive for a playoff spot. The Ravens’ incredible rash of injuries and more recent Covid issues would have sent most teams into a tailspin where they were no longer competitive. Driven by Harbaugh’s leadership (let’s set aside the two-point conversion debate for a moment), Baltimore has remained very competitive against the toughest part of their schedule regardless of who is playing QB or introducing themselves as the newest member of the secondary. Yes, the current five-game losing streak has been excruciating, with four losses by one or two points, but this team, week after week, has found ways to be competitive.
Tomlin has also faced significant challenges in the Steel City, even while becoming the first coach to start his career with 15 consecutive non-losing seasons. Pittsburgh has also been hit hard by injuries and had their own Covid issues, although not to the extent the Ravens have endured. They have been blown out if first halves several times this season, only to fight back and make it a game. The Steelers trailed the Vikings 29-0 late in the third quarter and wound up losing 36-28 and were throwing into the end zone on the last play. Ravens fans will remember their team dominating Pittsburgh for three quarters, only to lose on a…never mind, I said I wasn’t going to bring that up.
Both coaches have caught a lot of grief for their offenses, although Ravens’ fans have directed much of their ire toward Greg Roman. It was jarring to see Rothesberger average only 2.7 yards on 46 attempts Monday night vs. Cleveland. That’s roughly how far someone could stand at the line of scrimmage, fall forward, and stretch the ball out-about eight feet. Yet…they won 26-14 thanks to nine sacks of Baker Mayfield and 188 yards rushing from rookie RB Najee Harris.
John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin teams find ways to win-often not pretty ways, but I doubt anyone cares about that less then they do. They are both from an anti-Bill Belichick school in the way they relate to their players.
The clip of Harbaugh and Mark Andrews at the end of the Packers game with them saying they loved each other was, to me, the highlight of the season and a clear example of why Harbaugh’s teams invariably play hard, regardless of the situation.
With less attention in Baltimore, Tomlin’s is also known for his personal relationships with his players, not the more distant, business-like (and effective) approach that Belichick takes. Steeler DB Joe Haden told CBS sports a couple of years ago that “Tomlin’s ability to connect with his players on a personal level is one of the reasons why he is respected and revered by the players.”
Harbaugh and Tomlin have had great heights and lows in their careers. Harbaugh went 5-11 with a decimated Ravens team in 2015, and of course this year’s team has fallen from the AFC top seed at 8-3 to 8-8 with a microscopic chance to make the playoffs. Tomlin, of course, had…I don’t know, a brain fart, a moment of desperation, whatever when he stepped on the field during a Jacoby Jones kickoff return in 2013 and got in his way enough to cost him a touchdown.
The 2021 season will likely be the sixth a Tomlin-lead team has missed the playoffs and the fifth time the Ravens have failed to qualify under Harbaugh.
This is a point in the Harbaugh-Tomlin rivalry where neither coach is at the peak of their success, but don’t get any ideas that they are nearing the end of the line. Both coaches may be dealing with grumpy fan bases, but they are blessed with patient owners who grasp the big picture, realizing how difficult it would be to improve their teams with a head coaching change.
So hunker down for the 31st meeting between two coaches who may someday meet in Canton, Ohio as members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Not anytime soon, however, there’s lots of football for these two men to coach before then.
Good.
BTW, I saw that Terrell Suggs will be in attendance at M&T Bank Stadium to watch what is likely Ben Rothlesberger’s last game for the Steelers, in the same stadium his career began over 17 years ago. How much would you give to see Suggs come off the sidelines and sack Rotlesberger one more time? Talk about rivalries! I’m sure T-Sizzle has lost a step or two over the years, but do you really think he couldn’t run down Big Ben? I’m sure it won’t happen, but for Ravens fans it’s fun to think about.
Also, remember the Steelers lost that game in 2004 when Ben came in for the injured Tommy Maddox. The Ravens would like nothing more than to give him a matching bookend on Sunday to finish his career.
Fascinating Factoid of the Week:
Curly Lambeau (mentioned above) shares the record with the Bears’ George Halas of 49 career meetings between NFL head coaches. This rivalry played out during the 1921-1953 seasons, during which these coaches combined for 11 NFL championships (6 for Lambeau, 5 for Halas). This record is not likely to be broken-it would take Harbaugh and Tomlin 8-9 years to do so, but one never knows for sure in this strange sport. Lambeau’s and Owen’s meetings took place between 1930-1953. The fact that it’s taken nearly 60 years for two coaches to go head-to-head as often as Harbaugh and Tomlin highlights how special this Ravens-Steelers rivalry is.
Next time, I’ll tackle one of seemingly eternal questions about the NFL-does Art Modell belong in the Hall of Fame? Until then, you can find me on Twitter @jimjfootball and remember, it’s okay to look back as long as you live forward.
Jim Johnson spent most of his life in Maryland, growing up with the Orioles, the Colts, Terps, and later Ravens. He started his sports writing career as “The Courtmaster,” covering the Terps and ACC hoops and was a frequent guest on Bob Haynie’s old WNST show and other sports talk across the region. He is currently in his second run at BSL. After previously covering Maryland and Big Ten Football, he now writes about the NFL, primarily the action in the AFC North. Jim covers both current and historic stories, seeking perspective and having fun in the process.