Mike Tomlin isn’t making any coaching plans right now, but he’s not shutting the door either.
Speaking on a conference call with NBC correspondents before the Steelers’ Week 10 road game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night Football, Tomlin said he hasn’t spent any time thinking about a return to an NFL sideline. He’ll be in attendance for the matchup as part of NBC’s “Football Night in America” crew, and for now, that’s where his focus is.
“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 was as steady as it was decorated. He never finished a season with a losing record, going 193-114-2 in the regular season, and he also delivered a Super Bowl XLIII title in 2008.
His postseason stretch ended on a rough note, with the Steelers dropping seven straight playoff games under his watch. Still, that late skid doesn’t erase the bigger picture: Tomlin also picked up seven playoff wins across 13 trips to the postseason, and his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame conversation looks secure.
He’s tied with Chuck Noll for the ninth-most head coaching wins in NFL history, a reminder of how high his résumé stacks up in league history.
If Tomlin ever does decide to coach again - whether that’s in 2027, 2028 or later - there’s also a question hanging over what Pittsburgh could get in return. The Saints were able to trade Sean Payton’s rights after he stepped away following the 2021 season, before Payton was hired by the Broncos in 2023, but it’s unclear whether the Steelers could do the same.
If the team still holds Tomlin’s contractual rights, a trade could potentially bring back a first-round pick or more from the club that hires him, a haul that would matter for a Steelers team trying to chase a franchise quarterback.
And if Pittsburgh can’t move his rights, Tomlin’s next stop would still matter. A return to coaching in the AFC would put him back on the Steelers’ schedule and bring him face-to-face with the black and gold more often than not.
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T.J. Watt Has Steelers Defense Looking Dangerous Again
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He has not been doing it alone, either. Cam Heyward has remained a steady force up front, Keeanu Benton has added another layer inside, and Jalen Ramsey has given the secondary a more dangerous feel. Still, Watt is the one setting the tone, and the bigger question for the Steelers is how high this defense can climb if he keeps driving it the way he has so far. [Read more 🡒]