Mike Tomlin Explains Decision To Punt While Trailing In 4th Quarter

Steelers mike tomlin puntThere were a number of controversies and coaching shortcomings in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but none more egregious than punting with just over 10 minutes remaining while trailing by two scores in the fourth quarter.

An analytics bot called Surrender Index 90 on X, which calculates “cowardly punts” showed that this decision was in the 95th percentile for cowardly punts since 1999.

Obviously the Steelers weren’t playing to lose, so what was the rationale behind this decision? Mike Tomlin explained during his weekly press conference.

“It was the distance. Had it been inside of maybe fourth and five, I probably would have definitively gone…