In the aftermath of head coach Mike Tomlin‘s departure from Pittsburgh, Steelers owner/president Art Rooney II made some things clear from the team’s perspective. One such item made clear, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, was that Tomlin was not in danger of losing his job before he stepped down. Rooney expressed that he was willing “to take another run at it” with Tomlin next season, which he had expected to discuss with the long-time head coach before his resignation. 
Despite his desire to run it back with Tomlin in 2026, Rooney asserted that he made no attempts to talk Tomlin out of his decision. “I did not,” Rooney said in response to the question, according to Mark Maske of The Washington Post. “He was pretty clear about what his intentions were…We had a great conversation, and I understand where he was.”
Mike DeFabo of The Athletic added on that part of the reason Rooney declined to push back on Tomlin’s decision was because it was, as the owner framed it to the media, a “family-driven” exit. Tomlin’s decision not to coach in the near future had already been reported, but DeFabo’s wording stated that “Tomlin does not plan on coaching again anytime soon.”
Moving forward, Rooney and general manager Omar Khan will reportedly be leading the search for Tomlin’s replacement, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. The pair ruled out a number of candidates fairly quickly as Rooney told the media that he didn’t “expect anyone on the current staff” to be a candidate to step into the open head coaching role, per DeFabo. Realistically, this would only apply to offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, and we can probably just narrow it down to Smith since he’s been rumored as a candidate in New York, requested to interview with the Cardinals, and interviewed with the Titans.
Another aspect of the future affected by Tomlin’s exit, in the eyes of Rooney, is the team’s quarterback position. After Aaron Rodgers led the team to the playoffs in his first year with the team, there was some speculation that the 42-year-old passer would be running it back as Pittsburgh’s quarterback for the 2026 season. The other option the veteran is reportedly considering is one in which he hangs up his cleats for good. As Rooney puts it (via Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated), “Aaron came here to play for Mike, so I think it’ll most likely affect his decision.”
Even if his starting quarterback departs along with his head coach, though, it doesn’t appear as if Rooney is expecting to blow things up further. He’s looking to carry on Tomlin’s moniker of “the standard is the standard” and expecting the next head coach and quarterback to pick up where Tomlin and Rodgers left off. When asked if the team could enter a “rebuild” phase, he pushed back on that notion, saying he didn’t “like that word” and that he couldn’t understand why anyone would “waste a year of your life not trying to contend,” per Pryor.
Instead, Rooney and Khan will hit the ground running to try and find Tomlin’s replacement while righting the ship in a direction that hopefully leads to the franchise’s first playoff win in 10 years.
Fire Omar Khan
Dude is a joke
People wanted to fire Tomlin cause they couldn’t win a playoff game. Now they want Khan gone too. People suck.
Steelers fans need to get a serious grip on reality. They wanted the coach gone and he’s gone and now the GM too lol. Franchise hasn’t had a losing season in like 19 years. There are teams like the jets and browns who I’m sure would take the years of winning seasons off your hands.
Ya sorry we’re never going to lower our standards or ever compare ourselves to the Browns…
Khan has only been GM for 3 seasons and most of his moves have been mediocre at best with a ridiculous amount of busts
Even the Ramsey trade will handcuff them with dead cap, and did he really change anything? Honestly, i think the secondary got worse since he wasnt a scheme fit,
Khan has been a complete joke
Trading a 2nd round pick for a mediocre DKM and signing him longterm, then dumping George Pickens for a 3rd.
His replacement? A bunch of UFL-level receivers Calvin too short Austin, Roman wasnt even good in college Wilson, and a bunch of washed up waiver claims.
How do you go into a year with that as your receiving core?
Thats pretty much the worst receiving core ever, especially after going all-out on Rodgers
Kaleb Johnson looking like a wasted pick at RB, reminiscent of how Roman Wilson is not suitable for NFL either despite both being taken mid-rounds
Everyone knows Khan is an accountant, a cap guy who has no clue how to put together a football team
Rebuilding properly with him in charge is going to be an uphill battle
Khan Artist is only conning Pittsburgh at this point
If Andy Weidl (Assistant GM) doesn’t take a full-time GM position with another team, he will be making most of the player personnel decisions based on their scouting reports. That’s why they brought him in from Philly a couple of years ago.
Ya i forgot about weidel.
He helps develop lines, which are most important.
Still Khan is killing us with dumb trades, washed up vets (not including Rodgers), and absolute unusable busts at skill positions.
I really wouldn’t trust any NFL owner to tell the truth unless they are criticizing the game officials or Goodell (which they can’t do without being penalized).
Rooney II didn’t want to pay position coaches not to work for him, which is allegedly why the OL coach and DC haven’t been replaced, and why Canada came back another year even though Tomlin and everyone else wanted him gone before he was the first coordinator fired in season in 80 years. He’s cheap. This is part of the things I always point out of there is a certain way this job is going to be done, and you as a coach have to work in those constraints. Steeler fans are about to be in for a rude awakening. This is the first time Rooney II is doing this on his own.