Pittsburgh "Stillers" head coach Mike Tomlin was spared the axe today and I was shocked these last two weeks to read that Mike is Teflon Tomlin at the confluence.

Tomlin has lost control of the team. Le'veon Bell, their star running back has sat out the entire season in a contract dispute. Receiver Antonio Brown, whose given name is Asshole, got into a violent verbal altercation with Ben Roethlisberger and threw a ball at him. Tomlin unconscionably covered up for Brown by lying to the media that Brown was nursing a sore knee when in fact Tomlin had benched him. Bryant missed the Cincinnati game. Narcissists are not one-hit wonders. They are repeat performers and Brown has had his share. Tomlin and owner Dan Rooney have so far excused, papered over, lied about, and ignored Brown’s acute episodes.

Rooney and Tomlin have got to get this franchise back. It is careening out of control. Tomlin seems cowed by his star players. Rooney is in no mood for a rebuild but Rooney should realize that this proud franchise, revered and iconic, built by generations of his family into one with an awe-inspiring reputation is in danger of becoming a punch line.