RK Pittsburgh is on fire tonight — and not in a good way. After a jaw-dropping collapse no one saw coming, Steelers Nation is pointing fingers everywhere… except Mike Tomlin isn’t having it.

Pittsburgh, PA. November 24, 2025

The Pittsburgh Steelers walked off the field stunned on Sunday after a 31–28 loss to the Chicago Bears. A defeat that not only damaged their playoff push but also ignited a wave of frustration directed squarely at quarterback Mason Rudolph. What unfolded online felt immediate and unforgiving. Fans blamed the backup passer for failing to close out a game the Steelers once controlled.

Rudolph started in place of the injured Aaron Rodgers and delivered flashes of poise. He moved the offense, hit key throws, and helped engineer long drives. But when the Steelers needed one more answer late in the game, the rhythm collapsed. Chicago surged with fourteen unanswered points in the third quarter. Suddenly the entire night shifted. That moment became the heart of the finger–pointing.

Across social media the reaction was harsh. Clips circulated. Criticism multiplied. Many fans insisted Rudolph cost the Steelers the game. Heavy.com highlighted how intense the backlash became in the hours after the loss. The narrative quickly narrowed toward one target. Yet inside the building the picture was different.

Mike Tomlin defended his quarterback with conviction. He rejected the idea that Rudolph was to blame and instead challenged the team as a whole to look in the mirror. “He battled and gave us enough to win. This is about finishing games as a team. Not about one man.”

Tomlin’s tone was direct. His message was designed to protect a locker room that cannot fracture as the playoff chase tightens.

The numbers reinforced his point. Pittsburgh converted eight of fourteen third downs. They produced 345 total yards. They had chances to deliver knockout blows. But missed tackles, defensive lapses and situational mistakes opened the door for Chicago to storm back. This was not a one–man loss. It was a collective unraveling.

For the Steelers the setback cuts deeper because it cost them their hold on the AFC North race. The margin for error is now slimmer. The criticism louder. The pressure heavier. What happens next will determine whether the team uses this moment as fuel or lets it become a fracture point.

Tomlin made his stance clear. The Steelers will move forward together. With Rudolph. With accountability. And with urgency.

Stay tuned to ESPN!