Tomlin dismisses non-losing season record: Steelers aim for Super Bowls

Mike Tomlin dodged a losing season for a record-breaking 15th straight year after a Monday night win pushed the Pittsburgh Steelers to 8-7-1.

However, as Tomlin made clear Tuesday, the accomplishment isn't important to him.

"Our agenda, this year, is to get into (the) single-elimination tournament and then pit our skills against others in that single-elimination tournament in an effort to win the world championship. That's our mentality every year," Tomlin said, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor.

He continued: "And so, with that mentality, it's just certain hardware that you expect to pick up along the way. And if you don't, you'd be seriously disappointed. That's just an expectation that we have here in Pittsburgh."

Monday night's victory over the Cleveland Browns pushed Tomlin past Marty Schottenheimer, who recorded 14 consecutive non-losing seasons from 1984 to 1997.

The prime-time contest also likely marked the final home game for longtime Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The veteran passer has been Tomlin's starter since the coach joined the organization in 2007.

Loved this moment end of the game, Mike Tomlin hugging Ben Roethlisberger. Those two guys...what an incredible career together. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/4rKEQZnbbe

- Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) January 4, 2022

"I was appreciating the last 15 years with him," Tomlin said postgame Monday about watching Roethlisberger salute the Steelers crowd, per Pryor. "Been through a lot. Seen a lot. It's been one heck of a ride."

Roethlisberger has won two Super Bowls over his career, with one coming under Tomlin. The head coach has also compiled a 153-85-2 record with the Steelers.

Tomlin's squad enters its season finale against the Baltimore Ravens with a chance at making the postseason, though the team doesn't control its own destiny.

Copyright (C) 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.