The Pittsburgh Steelers are keeping Mike Tomlin, but they are not naive. Running it back with the same core isn't an option.

Tomlin is such a coaching force that he will never let the Steelers fall by the wayside. To Tomlin, being at the helm of a losing campaign would be unacceptable. It’d be a hit to his hallowed reputation. He is a coach crafted to be at the helm of a ready-made winner, nothing less. A rebuild isn’t worth his time.

There is a sameness to the way the Pittsburgh Steelers keep ending their seasons. Yet Mike Tomlin shrugged on Tuesday when asked if it feels as if the Steelers are “stuck” after their fifth first-round playoff exit in eight years,