What was unthinkable a few years ago has become a possibility: the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin could part ways this offseason.
Pittsburgh won their ninth game in Week 16, guaranteeing a winning record for the sixth year in a row and the 16th in Tomlin’s 19 years as head coach. He has never led the Steelers to a losing season.
However, Tomlin has not won a playoff game since 2016 with exits in the wild card round in four of the last five seasons. The Steelers’ lack of a franchise quarterback has been a clear limiting factor in the postseason, but they never play poorly enough in the regular season for a top draft pick. This has created a difficult cycle in Pittsburgh that can only be altered by an expensive trade-up in the draft or parting ways with Tomlin.
The latter has never seemed to be an option, until now. Firing Tomlin outright is unlikely, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones and ESPN’s Adam Schefter, but he and the team may mutually agree to part ways. The veteran head coach may be looking for a “reset” via a broadcasting gig before returning to an NFL head coaching job, according to both Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated and Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.
Tomlin would no doubt be one of the hottest head coaching candidates if available, whether that happens this offseason or in the future. The Steelers might be best served by trading Tomlin, but the no-trade clause in his contract and the timeline of the NFL’s hiring cycle are two significant roadblocks, per Jones.
The Steelers have already considered the possibility of a post-Tomlin future. They had “internal discussions” about Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Multiple teams had interest in the 39-year-old, who opted to take an improved contract to stay in South Bend rather than entertain an NFL job. Freeman’s desires could change in the future and potentially offer Pittsburgh another opportunity to secure Tomlin’s successor, provided such a change does not happen this offseason.
Say it ain’t so Joe
Would be like Sean Payton, sit a year but still be under contract so they can trade him.
They’d have to pickup his 2027 option year, which would be unlikely if he’s going to spend a year broadcasting. Payton was fully under contract.
Except Payton was never traded
They traded a 1st, 2nd in exchange for 3rd and Payton from Saints. Google is your friend.
Marcus Freeman would be nice. I think this would be the one NFL team he might consider.
lol, why would he consider the Steelers? Old, expensive team without a quarterback or the draft ammo to go get a top one.
Exactly the reason, 16. Rebuild the way you want. Your own vision. Your own people. And not taking over a perennial doormat like the Jets
If the Steelers want to move up for a QB they have what they need to move up. The Bears took more than draft picks from Carolina
Pittsburgh, is the premier, number one job in the NFL…where else can you be guaranteed a job for life
The Supreme Court
Maybe because he would have a lot of job security.
16, because it appears that unlike you, I understand football.
He’s not going anywhere.
Told yinz!!! Here We Go!!
Lifetime contracts are earned!
I like Mike Tomlin as an individual. I think he’s a highly intelligent, good man. And I think he’s a decent coach. But clearly, he’s not receptive to alternative ideas and enjoys having a great deal of control of the entire operation. So be it.
To me at least, his coaching has gotten stale here and he and the franchise would be better suited to fresh starts.
The Steelers in particular need a house cleaning from top to bottom, which I’m sure Tomlin would never be receptive to.
I had to laugh at ESPN and their apologists this week, saying Tomlin and Harbaugh are ‘victims of their own early success’. Sheesh. The continual back slapping is nauseating
Tomlin to Baltimore, Harbaugh to Pittsburgh… problem solved! 🙂
Ha Ha… 😆
I think I’d rather have Cowher coming out of retirement
Washed up: Say you’re and old white man without saying you’re an old white man.
Sorry. Maybe if I’d write on a middle school level, it would be better for you
And…old white man because I think Tomlin is finished and Harbaugh would be worse? Marcus Freeman? Sure. In a heartbeat.
Steelers wouldn’t hire a 50+ coach. They hire young guys
Funny!
More ways to get a franchise QB than picking top 10. Better to have a winning culture than a #1 pick.
Mike Tomlin’s success or failure is not judged against reality and his roster.
It’s judged against the logo.
That’s why the only reason they give as to why he should have done better is “we’re THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS” instead of “yeah, he should have won multiple playoff games with either Kenny or Mitch or Russ or Duck or gimpy fat Ben or whoever.”
mediocre play gets you mediocre quarterbacks and if you stay locked in that cycle, what does it take to break it? either get lucky with a late drafted QB (which Tomlin has no idea how to develop) or get some new coaches and move the franchise in a new direction.
I’ve said for years that Tomlin will keep them stuck in the mushy middle…because he’s too good a coach who keeps getting mediocre teams into the playoffs instead of rebuilding.
The lowest pick they’ve ever earned under Tomlin was #15. In 20 years. Twenty. The roster is running on fumes.
NORMALLY, I don’t worry about the path people take to agree with me BUT…the people who think he’s a bad coach or just got lucky in the hardest league in the world NINETEEN years in a row are just such nimrods that I cannot abide it.
Trent Dilfer, Rex Grossman, Nick Foles, gimpy and can barely move or throw the football 10 yards downfield Peyton Manning (I’m sure there are more)…all of them played in the Super Bowl and 3 of them won. I don’t think Tomlin is a bad coach and I’ve said before that I think he has fantastic qualities as a coach. But he can’t win when it matters. It’s plain and simple and has been laid out before our eyes for a decade. Youve been beating this “we’re the Pittsburgh Steelers” drum so much that I think it’s time for a new head. Just like it’s time for the Steelers and Tomlin to part ways. The partnership is old, stale, and worn out. And for what it’s worth, I hope he goes somewhere and has success. I’m not rooting against him whatsoever. But like every job, people lose interest and need something new.
Did you just cherry pick the 4 bums to play in a Super Bowl and ignore the 10,000’s who didn’t and use that to declare “failure” on Tomlin’s part?
“But he can’t win when it matters.”
Did you just erase the Super Bowl in 2008? That no longer happened?
Is Andy Reid a good coach?
Is Sean Payton a good coach?
Timing for a trade shouldn’t be an issue. Pittsburg will either lose tonight and miss out on the playoffs or whiff next week against the Texans. Any smart team is going to wait at least a week…
Mike MCCarthy after trading Tomlin
Too old
Pittsburgh guy. But is he the answer?
If Tomlin is let go. I hope the Raiders will jump and make him the highest paid coach. He can bring the Raiders back to prominence.
New York Football Giants President GM Head Coach