They’re tired of watching their team show potential to chase a title and then fizzle out in the postseason. Tomlin gave them some encouraging news Tuesday: He’s tired of it, too.

“I have a cliché that guys often joke with me: Two is a pattern. I say that because there is an expiration date on accommodation and adjustment,” Tomlin said. “I use this expression to express the urgency. To show how quickly we need to adapt, adapt and move. … Even though we have achieved similar results, you can be sure that we are not doing the same things and hoping for a different result. We We’ve changed our approach and we’re going to keep going because we’re not getting what we want – and that’s the confetti game, which is becoming world champions.

“Our goals are really clear. It is also really clear that we are lagging behind them, and in a consistent way. We will still be open to adjustments.”

To make such an adjustment, Tomlin must first figure out why his team lost five straight games at the end of the season. Fingers can point in different directions. Quarterback Russell Wilson failed to elevate the offense in the final month of the season. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s style of play deserved criticism. Their once-feared defense collapsed in epic fashion, allowing the Ravens to combine for 299 rushing yards in their Wild Card Round win over the Steelers on Saturday.

Tomlin said he was “figuring out” why the Steelers’ entire operation fell into an uncompetitive state at the end of the season. He also emphasized that he has made changes to achieve a better end result and remains open to further adjustments.

Just don’t suggest that the adjustment has to include his job. If anything, the Steelers could benefit from looking around the NFL and looking at the tenures of most of the coaches in that league. Tomlin is an elder statesman because he has proven his abilities as a coach, including leading smaller Steelers teams to the postseason despite great adversity.

Sure, he hasn’t won in the playoffs in recent years, but he also led a team that was trying to solve its quarterback situation with the combination of Wilson and Justin Fields to a 10-win season. If anything, Tomlin’s track record suggests he needs more time so GM Omar Khan can provide him with some personnel upgrades.

That is, as long as Tomlin still has the attention of the locker room.

“I’m not worried about the news getting traction,” Tomlin said. “I speak with great clarity and transparency. I learned that over a long time at this level. I know what works and what doesn’t. That part of it is probably less concerning. More strategic things and other discussions.” Determine the outcome. Messaging is such a small part of what we do.

Hard Knocks: In the season with the AFC North gave the football world a great insight into the way Tomlin leads his team and the quality and content of the messages he delivers. Motivation shouldn’t be a problem for the Steelers.

Still, Tomlin was asked if the culture in Pittsburgh had changed given the way last few seasons ended.

“The fact that we communicate this way today bothers me,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “I’m open to addressing any aspect of it.”

Tomlin will be forced to answer these questions for the foreseeable future. The only way to respond properly is to win in 2025.