The Steelers and Dolphins have weathered adversity heading into Monday night showdown

Mike Tomlin is only sort of joking when the Pittsburgh Steelers coach says he feels like he's been on the hot seat during the entirety of his 19-year tenure.

“I always feel like I got something to prove,” Tomlin said. “Not necessarily to anyone in particular. That’s just the spirit in which I go about what I do professionally.”

A spirit that has served Tomlin well throughout his nearly two-decade-long run in Pittsburgh, and one that hasn't been lost among those who have watched Tomlin from afar, though Miami coach Mike McDaniel will get an up-close look on Monday night when the Dolphins (6-7) visit the Steelers (7-6).

“I think (Tomlin's teams) play physically every year, regardless of what the nameplates are, and they find a way to play sound football and they become pretty hard to beat,” McDaniel said. “So you know, I think that’s by and large what the last two decades have taught us, is being able to inspire a group of individuals to come together and win more than they lose. I think within that there’s a lot of pride in the organization and the team.”

Just two weeks ago, the Steelers' season appeared on the verge of spinning out of control following a dismal home loss to Buffalo that dropped Pittsburgh into a first-place tie with Baltimore atop the AFC North and led a portion of the fans who stuck around until the end to call for Tomlin's firing.

All the Steelers did was respond by beating the Ravens on the road to restore their division lead and offer a reminder that they are dangerous, even if they're rarely dominant.

While Tomlin's critics are quick to point out the team hasn't won a playoff game in eight-plus years, Pittsburgh has also never bottomed out. Tomlin's next losing season will be his first and as jagged as the Steelers have been over the last three months, they're also right where they expected to be despite a midseason funk in which they dropped five of seven and looked overmatched against quality teams.

“It’s easy when, if you lose a few games, to fall into selfish cliques and do stuff like that,” Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “And our guys don’t do that. Our guys just figure out, ‘Hey, how can we work hard to figure out a way to get us out of this rut and keep moving forward?’”

It's been much the same in Miami. This year, anyway.

The Dolphins appeared in disarray following an ugly 2-7 start that cost general manager Chris Grier his job. McDaniel's job status seemed tenuous at best — and still may well be — but Miami has responded by winning four straight.

“There's a lot of hard work that’s going into our game, a lot of pride that’s taken in how we play football,” McDaniel said. "So to watch a brand unique unto ourselves in three phases, I really appreciate that.”

The Steelers and Dolphins pulled off a rare blockbuster trade during the summer doldrums in late June when Pittsburgh sent safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami in exchange for defensive back Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith.

The move may have worked for both sides. Ramsey has stabilized the Pittsburgh secondary after moving to safety following a season-ending injury to DeShon Elliott. Fitzpatrick has thrived while bouncing between safety and slot corner.

“He’s unbelievable,” Austin said of Fitzpatrick. “He’s really smart, really tough, got a nose for the ball, makes the guys around him better, really good communicator, all the good things.”

Fitzpatrick, in his typical understated fashion, downplayed the importance of seeing so many familiar faces on the other sideline.

“No, the only reason why it’s a big week this week is because we’ve got a game and we’ve got to win it,” he said.

Rodgers and Pittsburgh's passing game broke out of a month-long funk against the Ravens, stretching the field in a way they had been unable to for long stretches this season.

The NFL's oldest (OK, now second-oldest thanks to the return of Philip Rivers) player unleashed a 53-yard strike to DK Metcalf on the first play in Baltimore and kept on firing on his way to a season-high 284 yards.

The arrival of Adam Thielen and the promotion of Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the gameday roster gave Rodgers experienced options opposite Metcalf, and Metcalf ended up having by far his best game of the season (seven receptions, 147 yards).

“We know what winning looks like,” Metcalf said. “We know what I think we still have yet to play our best football game because we had a little lull in the second half, but we’re definitely heading in the right direction.”

Tua Tagovailoa was impressed that Rodgers has been putting up numbers at age 42. The Dolphins quarterback was even more excited at the idea of Rivers doing that at age 44.

“Dude,” Tagovailoa said. "Now we got Philip Rivers (back)? That’s dope. These are guys that I used to freaking watch when when I was young, young, you know? And so now that Philip gets an opportunity to come back, that’s super cool.

“And then A-rod, I mean everyone knows he can still throw it, he can still sling it, whether he’s on the opposite 40 throwing it to the back left side pylon, you know he’s still got it.”

AP Sports Writer Alanis Thames in Miami contributed to this report.

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New York Jets running back Andrew Beck (47) is tackled by Miami Dolphins free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel watches the game from the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) celebrates with running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) after a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin walks on the field before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Sherrone Moore’s rise was stirring, a rugged lineman at Oklahoma who climbed the ranks to lead Michigan, the winningest program in college football, and a rare Black head coach at the top of the sport.

“If you work your tail off, dreams can come true,” Moore said when he was hired nearly two years ago.

His downfall has been stunning.

The 39-year-old Moore was fired and arrested in a matter of hours Wednesday, and remained jailed a day ahead of an expected arraignment Friday as police investigate an alleged assault. His firing was related to what the school called an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

Moore has been through a lot in his career, especially with the Wolverines. From being a late-bloomer on the field to a top coach in the sport, Moore's journey has been at times inspiring while peppered with scandal.

Moore is married with three young daughters. He is from Derby, Kansas, and didn’t start playing football until his junior year of high school. Moore played for Butler County Community College in Kansas and was an offensive lineman for coach Bob Stoops at Oklahoma during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Moore’s coaching career began as a graduate assistant at Louisville in 2009 before moving on in 2014 to Central Michigan, where he caught then-Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh’s attention. Harbaugh hired him in 2018 as tight ends coach for the Wolverines.

Moore was promoted to offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator in 2021, when the Wolverines bounced back from a 2-4, pandemic-shortened season and began a three-year run of excellence that culminated in the school’s first national title in 26 years.

He was well-liked by players, who appreciated how often he smiled and engaged them in conversations about football and life.

“He is a dynamic, fierce and competitive individual who gets the best out of the players he mentors," athletic director Warde Manuel said when he hired Moore. "The players love playing for him and being with him in the building every day.”

Moore made the most of his first opportunity to lead the Wolverines, going 4-0, including a win over rival Ohio State, during the 2023 national championship season while Harbaugh served two suspensions for rules violations.

That helped to put him in a position to be promoted when Harbaugh returned to the NFL to lead the Los Angeles Chargers in January 2024.

“The only person I would want to do the job,” Harbaugh wrote in a text message that month. “I have 100% conviction that he will make us all very proud!!!”

Players on the team at the time, including former running back Donovan Edwards, privately lobbied Manuel to hire Moore.

“If anybody deserves it, it’s him," Edwards said then.

Moore was punished twice by the NCAA for rules violations. He was suspended for two games this year as part of self-imposed sanctions for NCAA violations related to the school's high-profile sign-stealing scandal. The NCAA added a third game to the suspension, which would have kept Moore off the sideline for next season's opener against Western Michigan.

Moore previously deleted an entire 52-message text thread with former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions, who was at the center of the team’s sign-stealing operation. The texts were later recovered and shared with the NCAA.

Moore also served a one-game suspension in 2023 due to recruiting infractions.

His debut season in 2024 got off to a rough start before rallying to win the last three games, including against the second-ranked Buckeyes and 11th-ranked Alabama in a bowl, to finish 8-5 overall and 5-4 in conference. His biggest win might have been landing heralded quarterback Bryce Underwood, one of the top recruits in the country.

Moore led the Wolverines to a 9-3 record this year, including a 7-2 mark in the Big Ten. They finished the regular season ranked No. 18 in the AP Top 25 with a Citrus Bowl bid against No. 14 Texas on Dec. 31. The program's four-game winning streak against archival and defending national champion Ohio State came to an end.

Moore signed a five-year contract with a starting base salary of $5.5 million last year. According to the terms of his deal, the university will not have to buy out the remaining years of his contract because he was fired for cause.

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FILE - Michigan coach Sherrone Moore walks off the field following an NCAA football game on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis, File)

FILE - Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, left, and coach Jim Harbaugh watch the team's play against Indiana during an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Oct. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

FILE - Michigan acting head coach Sherrone Moore celebrates a 24-15 win over Penn State following an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger, File)

FILE - Michigan acting head coach Sherrone Moore reacts to a video replay during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Ohio State, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/David Dermer, File)