The most underappreciated and maybe even hated streak in Pittsburgh sports history was extended on Sunday when the Steelers’ 44-38 victory over the Bengals at Paycor Stadium clinched Mike Tomlin’s 18th-straight non-losing season.

The streak actually belongs to the organization in a “Combined no-hitter” kind of way. The Steelers have now secured a non-losing season for the 21st consecutive year, tying the Dallas Cowboys (1965-1985) for the longest in NFL history.

While the streak may belong to the Steelers franchise, Tomlin is the one who has been accused of seeking comfort in it more than anyone else. Sure, he said he does not seek comfort in this streak. He’s also stated several times during his 18 years as the Steelers sideline boss that he has only had one good year as head coach: 2008 aka “Got Six?” I know, as a fan, you like to seek comfort in Pittsburgh’s six Lombardi trophies because you’ve used that number several times to try to win debates with supporters of the 49ers, Cowboys, Chiefs and Browns (that’s right, even Browns fans. I mean, who do they think they even are)?

For my money, the Steelers’ streak of 21 consecutive non-losing seasons is damn impressive. I don’t know how you can say otherwise. I don’t know why you’re so damn annoyed by it. Sure, winning Super Bowls is the standard around these parts, but you can’t win a Lombardi without first having a non-losing season, right? I suppose it’s possible if you capture the NFC South with a losing record and then run the table in the postseason, but what are the chances of that happening?

I just think it’s funny that so many Steelers fans hate the streak. Do you really think it’s all the Steelers–especially Tomlin–care about? No, what they care about more than anything is remaining competitive year in and year out. I can’t say that I blame them. I see how you act on Twitter (currently known as X) during the annual free-agent frenzy. “Oh no, the Steelers didn’t re-sign Matt Feiler, where’s the wine?” “Oh no, the Steelers did re-sign Chuks Okorafor, where’s the sniffing glue?”

If you can’t handle free agency, how in the heck are you going to handle a 4-13 season? This is why the Steelers try to remain relevant even when it might be best for business if they tanked.

I think it’s awesome that the Steelers survived their post-Super Bowl era without a losing season. I think it’s cool that they managed to not finish under .500 when Ben Roethlisberger missed all but six quarters of the 2019 campaign with a major elbow injury. I think it’s tremendous that they’ve remained afloat during the post-Roethlisberger years.

It’s not easy to never suffer a losing season.

The Steelers should be congratulated for that. Tomlin should be commended for it.

It’s a pretty rare occurrence. “Is this all that this fanbase cares about?” you may be asking. No, but it’s certainly one thing we take pride in.

There are kids who are now officially old enough to drink who were born after the Steelers last clinched a losing record.

That’s pretty cool. Those kids should toast Pittsburgh’s 21 straight years of non-losing seasons.

You should, too.