Mike Tomlin has embodied consistency built by routine and transparency during his 19 seasons pittsburgh steelers Chief coach. This has endeared him to hundreds of players and established him in an organization that reflects the values of its coach.
That stability is gone Tomlin is stepping down Sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Adam Schefter on Monday afternoon that he has two years left on his contract.
Tomlin, 53, informed the players of his decision to leave in a 2 p.m. ET meeting on Tuesday, a day after the fall. houston texans 30-6 inches wild-card round In the AFC playoffs, the team’s playoff win drought was extended to nine seasons.
He leaves Pittsburgh with the unprecedented accomplishment of never suffering a losing season in nearly two decades at the helm of the franchise. He earned his 200th career NFL win in Week 16 against detroit lions and tied for ninth all-time with 193 regular season wins in the Week 18 win against Chuck Noll. Baltimore Ravens Which won the AFC North title.
With Tomlin’s departure, the Steelers will begin the search for their fourth head coach since 1969. Prior to his resignation, Tomlin was the longest-tenured head coach of any North American professional sports franchise, having taken the Steelers job in 2007. He finished his career at Pittsburgh with 193 regular season wins, 114 losses and two ties.
Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor and NFL reporters Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano answer the pressing questions in the wake of Tomlin’s departure.
Who might the Steelers target at head coach, and how does Pittsburgh’s tendency to retain coaches for decades factor into this decision?
This is a task for any and all candidates to leave everything behind. The Steelers have had three head coaches since 1969, which is amazing stability for the modern era. Championship tradition, combined with the opportunity for real tenure, will provide Pittsburgh with the best job. Most likely the Steelers will prioritize leadership and, as they did with Tomlin, they may identify a rising star in the trade.
Many defensive coordinators–from Los Angeles Rams‘ Chris Shula, green Bay Packers‘Jeff Hafley and los angeles chargers‘Jesse Minter – seems to fit that mold. Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman has dismissed NFL intrigue, but it’s the kind of job he might reconsider. The Steelers would be smart to modernize the offense by looking closely at that side of the ball, allowing several young offensive players to come into play. — Fowler
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Alex Smith praises ‘unique’ Aaron Rodgers
Alex Smith praises ‘one of a kind’ Aaron Rodgers Alex Smith joins “The Rich Eisen Show” to discuss Aaron Rodgers’ career following the Steelers’ wild-card loss to the Texans.
what’s in store for the future aaron rodgers And the Steelers’ QB situation?
Rodgers’ one-year contract expired with the wild-card loss on Monday, but he recently expressed that he had not thought about what was next for him. After recording a playoff career-low 14.3 QBR in Monday night’s loss to Houston, Rodgers said he was not going to make an “emotional” decision about his future. In June, he told the Pat McAfee Show that he was “pretty sure” that 2025 would be his last season.
If that is indeed the case, the Steelers will be in the market for their next starting quarterback. mason rudolph is under contract for one more year, and the team also selected the former Ohio State quarterback Will Howard In the sixth round of the 2025 draft. The Steelers are doing their homework on the 2026 quarterback draft class, but with a pick at No. 21, they’re unlikely to land one of the few top-tier rookie signal-callers unless they use draft capital to move up.
Like last year, Pittsburgh will undoubtedly host several quarterbacks on predraft visits to do their due diligence, but it seems likely the Steelers will look for another cheap bridge quarterback option to lead them to a strong 2027 draft class. –Pryor
What’s next for Tomlin?
On some level, he can do whatever he wants (besides coaching the Steelers). If he were to take some time off from coaching, with the possibility of returning later, he would likely attract interest from multiple TV networks for a variety of potential roles. He will certainly also draw interest from teams that are in need of a head coach, as many of these front offices are looking for coaches who have NFL head coaching experience; No one on the current market comes close to that except John Harbaugh.
Tomlin’s entry into the coaching free agent market is sure to cause changes in teams’ plans and interview schedules, and if he wants to jump straight into another head coach’s job, he will have his choice. –Graziano
How does the 2025 season affect Tomlin’s legacy?
Tomlin’s final season was a microcosm of his 19-year tenure at the helm of the Steelers. There were incredible highs and impossible victories, as well as unimaginable lows and shocking defeats. Ultimately, the final season of 10–7 was much like the first – good enough to reach the postseason, but not good enough to make a run and recapture the magic of its early years. The Tomlin era in Pittsburgh will be remembered for almost immediate success and an unprecedented streak of non-losing seasons as the head coach raised the level of his team every season by being a transparent leader and player coach.
“Obviously, he’s the fall guy, right? You look at this situation and you say, ‘Okay, we’re down. Who’s the leader?’ They are going to see the leader. And for us, that’s Mike Tomlin. But we had a wonderful leader, a great leader, a person who is capable of taking us ultimately to the final goal. And he has done it. He is very capable of doing this. Like I said before, we just fell short,” Steelers tight end jonu smith Said on Monday. –Pryor
