Mike Tomlin isn’t rushing toward a comeback, but he isn’t shutting the door, either.
The former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach said during a conference call with NBC correspondents before Sunday night’s Week 10 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals that coaching is not on his mind right now. Tomlin will be in attendance for the game as part of NBC’s “Football Night in America” crew, and when asked about a return to the sideline, he made it clear he’s not there yet.
“I haven’t given one iota of thought to coaching,” Tomlin said. “I’m sure some of that is going to come up in the not-so-distant future. But I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.”
Tomlin stepped down after the 2025 campaign, closing out a 19-year run in Pittsburgh that left him with a resume strong enough to put him on a clear Hall of Fame track. He never finished a season with a losing record, piling up a 193-114-2 regular-season mark.
The postseason ending was rough. Pittsburgh dropped seven straight playoff games under Tomlin to finish his Steelers tenure, but that doesn’t erase the championship work he did in black and gold. He won Super Bowl XLIII in 2008 and added seven more playoff wins across 13 trips to the postseason.
Tomlin’s 193 career victories leave him tied with Chuck Noll for the ninth-most head coaching wins in NFL history, a place that keeps his name among the game’s heavyweights whether he coaches again or not.
If he ever does decide to jump back in, the Steelers could face an interesting question about what happens next. There’s uncertainty around whether Pittsburgh would be able to trade his rights and get something back in return.
The Saints pulled that off with Sean Payton after he stepped away following the 2021 season and later landed with the Denver Broncos in 2023, but it’s not clear whether the Steelers would be able to do the same.
If Pittsburgh still holds Tomlin’s contractual rights, a future hiring could potentially bring back a first-round pick or more, a haul that would help the organization in its search for a franchise quarterback.
And even if no trade materializes, Tomlin’s next stop would still matter to the Steelers if he lands in the AFC and ends up on their schedule with some regularity.
In Other News...
Guardians May Have A Sensible Answer At First Base
The Guardians have spent plenty of time this winter looking for ways to squeeze more offense out of a lineup that could use another dependable bat, and first base stands out as one of the cleaner places to make a move. Free agent Ty France fits that conversation well. His 2026 work with the San Diego Padres gives Cleveland a recent example of a hitter who can help stabilize the position, while also giving the front office a chance to address an area that has not offered much certainty.
First base is still a spot where the Guardians can sort through internal options and prospects, but the appeal of a straightforward veteran answer is obvious when the roster is trying to improve without creating more holes elsewhere. The bigger picture remains the same, too: Cleveland needs offense, but it also needs pitching depth, so any move at first base has to fit a broader offseason plan rather than crowd it out. France may not solve everything, but he looks like the kind of practical addition that could make the rest of the puzzle easier to manage. [Read more 🡒]
Jo Adell Just Gave Guardians Fans Another Reason To Love Him
Jo Adells first season with the Guardians gave Cleveland plenty to like beyond the usual trade-deadline buzz. Acquired from the Angels during the 2026 season, Adell settled into a meaningful role and got his first taste of postseason baseball, adding a new layer to a year that already featured a strong offensive finish across 158 games.
The on-field production was only part of the appeal. Adell also marked a major personal milestone in November 2026, when he married Jazmine, giving Guardians fans another reason to feel invested in his story as he heads into the next chapter of his career. [Read more 🡒]
Emmanuel Clase Trial Puts Guardians In An Uncomfortable Spotlight
Federal court proceedings have put Emmanuel Clase and the Guardians in an uncomfortable spotlight, with prosecutors and defense attorneys both leaning on text messages tied to the closers alleged role in a pitch-rigging scheme. The messages at the center of the case were presented as evidence as the sides laid out sharply different interpretations of the language used in them, adding another layer of scrutiny to a situation that has already cast a long shadow over Cleveland.
Prosecutors say references to chickens and roosters were coded language meant to conceal the alleged scheme, while the defense insists those words were about legal cockfighting in the Dominican Republic. Clase and two others have been charged with conspiracy and deny the allegations, leaving the Guardians with an unsettling legal story that is still unfolding and could keep drawing attention well beyond the courtroom. [Read more 🡒]