Mike Tomlin may already have made his call on coaching again, and the Steelers apparently know it.
After 19 seasons running the Pittsburgh sideline, Tomlin stepped away following last year’s Wild Card round loss to the Houston Texans and moved into NBC’s Football Night in America studio role. Pittsburgh turned to Mike McCarty in his place, and both sides have settled in nicely. The Steelers are 6-2 and sitting alone atop the AFC North entering their bye week, while Tomlin has drawn strong reviews all season as an analyst.
This week, Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward made it sound like Tomlin isn’t itching to get back into the grind.
“Guys, he’s not coming back. He’s way too comfortable.
He told me as soon as he walked in, ‘I win every week now.’ And I’m like, ‘I get that.’
I get that. And I’m not gonna fight against that because that’s a pretty sweet job he’s got going on over there,” Heyward said, via Gerry Dulac, on Tuesday.
Dulac then added another layer on Wednesday, reporting that Tomlin has already made his feelings known to the organization.
“My understanding is the Steelers are free of any compensation after this season if Tomlin returns to coaching. I will tell you, though, I have been told that he has told the Steelers he doesn’t intend to coach anymore. We’ll see,” Dulac said.
If that holds, it would hardly be a shock. Tomlin has also described the NBC gig to Travis and Jason Kelce on New Heights as “part-time work, full-time pay.” On top of that, NBC reportedly backloaded his contract in an effort to keep him around.
After 19 seasons without a losing record and a Super Bowl ring, Tomlin has certainly earned the chance to enjoy the view from the studio.
In Other News...
TCUs Undefeated Start Suddenly Comes With A Real Concern
TCU kept its undefeated start intact with a 100-92 double-overtime win over UL Monroe, but the game came with a sharper edge than the record suggests. Micah Robinson delivered a career-high 27 points and helped carry the Horned Frogs through a night that demanded far more than a routine nonconference finish, with the outcome still hanging deep into the second extra period.
Jamie Dixon and several players pointed to the late-game execution that finally separated TCU from a stubborn opponent, and that is where the real concern begins to surface. The Horned Frogs found a way to win, but a game like this also leaves a reminder that the margin for error shrinks quickly once the competition tightens, and TCU will have to clean up the details if it wants the unbeaten run to mean more than just a clean record. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Is Rallying Around Ed Small After A Brutal Moment
TCU spent the days after its loss to Arizona trying to turn the page, but the conversation around the program kept circling back to sophomore wide receiver Ed Small. The critical onside kick recovery error became one of the defining moments of the defeat, yet coach Sonny Dykes and teammates have made clear they are not letting one play define a player they value for much more than a single snap.
As the Horned Frogs prepare for Kansas State, the message inside the building has been about support and response rather than blame. Smalls teammates have rallied around him, pointing to his character and the work he has put in, and TCU now faces the familiar challenge of carrying a difficult moment forward without letting it linger into the next game. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors Season Suddenly Feels Very Different Under Joe Klanderman
With three weeks left in the Big 12 regular season, the league picture is starting to sharpen, and Baylor has quietly become one of the more interesting teams in it. Under interim coach Joe Klanderman, the Bears have won two straight, locked up a bowl berth and suddenly look far more stable than they did a few weeks ago, a notable turn in a conference where Utah is still unbeaten and six Big 12 teams are sitting in the College Football Playoff rankings top 25.
The broader league race has only added to the intrigue, especially with Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker putting together a historic performance that has NFL scouts paying close attention even as his future in Stillwater remains uncertain. For TCU, fresh off a loss to Arizona and bracing for possible changes in the coaching staff or roster, Baylors surge is another reminder of how quickly the balance can shift in the Big 12, and how much can still change before the season is over. [Read more 🡒]