Mark Madden: Despite reputation, Mike Tomlin needs to be better for Steelers

Outside linebacker Melvin Ingram of the Miami Dolphins won AFC Defensive Player of the Month. Ingram played for the Pittsburgh Steelers last year until leaving after six games because he was unhappy with playing time.

Coach Mike Tomlin granted Ingram his requested exit because, as Tomlin says, “We need volunteers, not hostages.”

After departing via trade to Kansas City, Ingram said, “The situation wasn’t what I thought it was going to be.”

Translation: Ingram was told he would start, then didn’t. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith started and still do. (When Watt isn’t hurt. Like he is now.)

Tomlin mangled the Ingram situation. It’s another chink in the armor of an elite coach who hasn’t presented much evidence for being elite over the last decade-plus.

Highsmith leads the NFL in sacks with 4½. Ingram had quite the first three games for Miami. He scored a defensive touchdown, recovered two fumbles, forced another, had two sacks and three tackles for loss.

It’s not a debate over who is better. Both are playing very well.

But the Steelers needed both.

Given Watt’s brittle nature — just like his brother J.J. at the same age, as predicted in this space before Watt signed his four-year, $112 million contract extension before last season — the Steelers need the equivalent of three starters at edge rusher.

If Tomlin starts Ingram last season but gives Highsmith a big dose of snaps, Ingram is happy. He finishes the year with the Steelers. Highsmith was in his second season. Still on his rookie contract. What’s he going to say?

Ingram and Highsmith might both still be here. Watt is hurt, so Ingram and Highsmith would both be starting.

Here’s betting that Watt is hurt, a lot, for the rest of his career. Keeping Ingram would have served the Steelers well, never more so than right now.

Tomlin could have kept Ingram for the rest of last season by ignoring Ingram’s unhappiness and continuing to play him. Ingram was on a one-year contract. He wouldn’t have gone into the tank at the expense of his next payday.

It would be better to have a hostage like Ingram than volunteers like the scrubs the Steelers have had to trot out this year and last in Watt’s absence.

Tomlin mangled the Ingram situation. That’s quite evident. That goes even if Highsmith continues to excel. The Steelers need both Highsmith and Ingram.

There’s no guarantee Ingram would have returned this year. He was on a one-year contract. He’s averaging 40 snaps per game with Miami this year, as opposed to 41 in his six games with the Steelers last year. Not much of a difference.

Tomlin’s reputation is hard to figure. His acumen is revered nationally and locally.

But the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game in five years. (It’s going to be six.) They have won just three playoff games since the 2010 season. They are 3-6 in the postseason during that stretch despite a Hall of Fame quarterback and a lot of quality complements. The Steelers have allowed 42 points in each of their last three playoff defeats. This despite Tomlin’s reputation for defense.

Tomlin has no coaching tree. That’s because he doesn’t like working with anyone who might know more than him or is outspoken. He wants yes-men. (This year’s hire of Brian Flores being a welcome exception.)

The Steelers also have the NFL’s lowest-paid coaching staff.

So explain why Tomlin is brilliant. Quantify it. If you start by citing Tomlin never having a losing season, that’s about to fall by the wayside. Anyway, isn’t it more important to excel, not just avoid failure?

“You can’t ever count out a Mike Tomlin team.” That platitude is so empty, it might as well be coming from Tomlin’s mouth.

This isn’t to suggest the Steelers should fire Tomlin. They won’t. Not ever.

This isn’t to suggest the Steelers could do better. They probably wouldn’t.

But Tomlin has been no better than mediocre since the 2010 season. Tomlin is in the “business of winning,” as he says. But he just hasn’t won enough.