Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told ESPN that a players-only meeting becoming a public topic suggests a team is in serious trouble. Speaking on the "New Heights" podcast, Tomlin offered a blunt assessment of the Dallas Cowboys' recent internal discussions following their loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Cowboys dropped to a 2-3 record through five games after falling to the Bucs in Week 5. The defeat intensified scrutiny on Dallas' defense, which has struggled to find consistency early in the season. Against that backdrop, the team reportedly held a players-only meeting. Tomlin, who currently serves as an NFL analyst for NBC Sports, addressed the situation directly with Jason Kelce and Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.
"I think you're dead," Tomlin said during the podcast episode. He later clarified that his concern was less about whether such a meeting had taken place and more about the fact that it became a subject of public discussion. "If it did occur, I'd like to not hear about it," Tomlin added. "The fact that you hear about it is what makes it BS."
The conversation also touched on Tomlin's own history with the Steelers. Travis Kelce asked whether Tomlin faced criticism for speaking fondly of the Steelers during his "Football Night in America" broadcasts. Tomlin responded that he did not care about such criticism. He questioned how anyone could spend 19 years with an organization and not feel a personal investment in its players. "I'm not gonna pretend that I'm not... everybody knows where my heart is and where my support is, and I'm not apologizing for that."
On the field, the Cowboys are attempting to stabilize their defensive unit. Matt Eberflus served as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator last season under head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Eberflus joined the San Francisco 49ers as assistant head coach/defense for 2026, leaving Dallas to turn to Christian Parker to lead the defense. While the team has shown modest improvement under Parker in some areas, they still rank near the bottom of the NFL in yards allowed per game through five weeks.
Shortly after the 24-16 loss to Tampa Bay, Schottenheimer began making changes to address the defensive struggles. One significant addition was Mike Pettine, who will join the Cowboys as senior defensive assistant. Pettine has previously worked with Parker. The Cowboys will next travel to historic Lambeau Field on Sunday night for a Week 6 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.