Terry Bradshaw Drops a Surprise on NFL Sunday: He’s Never Met Mike Tomlin
In a moment that caught even his fellow analysts off guard, Terry Bradshaw dropped a surprising revelation during Sunday’s NFL coverage on FOX: he’s never met Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
Yes, you read that right.
Bradshaw - the Hall of Fame quarterback who led the Steelers to four Super Bowl titles during his 13-year career - has never crossed paths with Tomlin, who’s been at the helm in Pittsburgh for nearly two decades and brought home a Lombardi Trophy of his own in 2009.
The revelation came after the Steelers’ gritty win over the Baltimore Ravens, a game they badly needed to stay in the AFC playoff picture. Sitting alongside Curt Menefee, Howie Long, and Michael Strahan, Bradshaw casually mentioned that he’s never met the current head coach of the franchise he helped define. The reaction online was swift and incredulous.
Fans flooded social media with disbelief. “Wait, Terry Bradshaw just said he has never met Mike Tomlin.
How is that possible?” one post read.
Another chimed in: “No, that can’t be true.” The general consensus?
It’s hard to imagine a franchise icon and a long-tenured, highly respected head coach never shaking hands - not at a team event, not at a ceremony, not even in passing.
It’s not just a curious footnote. Bradshaw is one of the most recognizable faces in Steelers history, and Tomlin is one of the most respected leaders in today’s NFL. That their paths haven’t crossed in 18 years raises eyebrows - and questions - about how that’s even possible in a league known for its tight-knit fraternity.
Bradshaw’s On-Air Moments Continue to Spark Conversation
This isn’t the first time Bradshaw has made headlines during FOX’s NFL coverage this season. His on-air moments have become something of a wildcard element - sometimes entertaining, sometimes puzzling, and occasionally both.
Just last week, while previewing the Bills-Steelers matchup, Bradshaw veered off course into a story about airport security. When Menefee asked him for thoughts on the game, Bradshaw responded with a tangent about panicking at TSA checkpoints and forgetting his driver’s license - a story that left both Strahan and Long visibly confused.
“I panic, I will panic, when I go through the airport later tonight,” Bradshaw said. “To get through the security line to kind of have… to kind of have a driver’s license, Howie and Michael.”
Eventually, he reeled the story back in, pivoting to the Bills offense and Josh Allen’s struggles against pressure - tying the idea of “panic” to the quarterback’s challenge against a surging Steelers defense. It was a roundabout way of getting to the point, but he got there - eventually.
Long, clearly amused, told Bradshaw, “I see what you did there. I’ll tell you what, you took a long while to get there.” Strahan added with a grin, “Every time you start your comments like that, I panic,” drawing laughs from the panel.
Name Mix-Up Adds to Bradshaw’s Season of Miscues
Earlier this season, Bradshaw also made headlines for mispronouncing the name of Seahawks rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. After the wideout ripped off a 63-yard touchdown against the Titans, Bradshaw referred to him on-air as “Njigboo,” prompting a quick correction from Strahan.
“That’s what I said,” Bradshaw replied, brushing it off. “Something like that.”
It was another moment in a growing list of on-air stumbles that have drawn both criticism and comedy from viewers and fellow analysts alike. While Bradshaw’s legacy as a player is untouchable, his broadcasting style - unfiltered, unpredictable, and often meandering - continues to stir discussion in NFL circles.
A Strange Disconnect in Steelers Lore
Back to the Tomlin revelation - it’s not just a quirky factoid. For a franchise that prides itself on continuity and tradition, the idea that one of its most storied quarterbacks has never met its longest-tenured coach feels like a disconnect. Tomlin has been a pillar in Pittsburgh since 2007, guiding the Steelers through multiple playoff runs and maintaining a culture of consistency that few teams can match.
Bradshaw, meanwhile, remains a central figure in the team’s golden era - the face of a dynasty that defined 1970s football. That these two figures haven’t shared a moment - even a handshake - in all that time? It’s baffling.
Whether it’s just a case of paths never crossing or something deeper, it’s a storyline that adds another layer to Bradshaw’s increasingly unpredictable presence on NFL Sundays.
And with the Steelers making a late-season push and Bradshaw still front and center on FOX’s coverage, don’t be surprised if this isn’t the last unexpected moment we get from the Hall of Famer this year.