Commanders Interview Brian Flores, Karl Scott For DC Job
The Commanders are continuing to interview potential replacements for defensive coordinator Joe Whitt, with Brian Flores and Karl Scott as the latest candidates on the list.
Flores, who just completed a three-year contract as the Vikings defensive coordinator, met with the team on Wednesday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He formed Minnesota’s defense into one of the best in the league with his signature blitz-heavy scheme frequently stifling opposing passing offenses. His ability to generate pressure could be especially appealing to a Commanders team that struggled to do so in 2025.
Flores also spent a decade as a defensive assistant in New England, which included multiple Super Bowl matchups with Commanders head coach Dan Quinn when he was with the Seahawks and the Falcons.
It is worth noting that Quinn took over calling the defense’s plays in 2025 after Whitt’s initial struggles and indicated that he could retain those duties moving forward. He would almost certainly hand that responsibility off to Flores if he came to Washington.
That may not be the case if Quinn goes with a less-experienced option like Scott, who has also interviewed with the team, according to ESPN’s John Keim and Brady Henderson. The 40-year-old only has five years of NFL experience with one years as the Vikings’ defensive backs coach and four years in the same role in Seattle, plus the title of passing game coordinator. The Seahawks’ pass defense saw some improvements after Scott’s arrival in 2022, and he was retained in 2024 after Mike Macdonald was brought in as the team’s new head coach.
While Macdonald rightfully gets much of the credit for turning Seattle’s defense into one of the best in the league, Scott has still played a key role in developing the team’s young secondary. Several defensive backs have taken huge strides under Scott’s coaching, including recent first-round picks Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori. Spending time under Macdonald, who is quickly becoming one of the league’s most respected defensive minds, further boosts Scott’s resume.
Mike McDaniel, Brian Daboll Among Eagles’ OC Candidates
After removing Kevin Patullo from the offensive coordinator role on Tuesday, the Eagles have begun reaching out to potential replacements. Former head coaches Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll are atop the Eagles’ list, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. It’s unknown if either will interview for the job.
McDaniel and Daboll join the previously reported Kevin Stefanski and Kliff Kingsbury as established offensive coaches on the Eagles’ radar. Judging by that group of four, the Eagles and head coach Nick Sirianni are aiming high in their quest to upgrade an offense that fell flat in 2025.
In 2024, Kellen Moore‘s lone season running their offense, the Eagles ranked seventh in scoring and eighth in yards. Running back Saquon Barkley put together the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history, helping the Eagles to a Super Bowl championship. Their offense was unable to follow up on that performance after Moore left to become the Saints’ head coach.
In the wake of Moore’s departure, Sirianni opted for continuity in promoting Patullo from pass game coordinator to OC. The Eagles won 11 games en route to their second straight NFC East crown, but their offense frustrated the team and its fans throughout the season.
Barkley’s rushing total declined from 2,005 to 1,140, which played a big role in the Eagles’ below-average offensive performance. Despite boasting a strong offensive line (albeit one that went without cornerstone right tackle Lane Johnson for a large chunk of time), a championship-winning QB in Jalen Hurts, and pass catchers A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, the Eagles finished 19th in total offense and 24th in scoring.
Considering their past accomplishments, either McDaniel or Daboll could end up as Sirianni’s pick to help Philadelphia’s offense rebound in 2026. McDaniel, long considered one of the game’s brightest offensive minds, is coming off a four-year run as the Dolphins’ head coach. He got plenty out of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at times, especially when the Dolphins led the league in total offense and finished second in scoring in 2023. Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane joined Tagovailoa as part of a well-oiled offensive machine that year, but the unit’s production fell off a cliff in the past couple of seasons.
Hill missed almost all of 2025 after suffering a torn ACL in Week 4. That didn’t help Tagovailoa, who performed so poorly that McDaniel benched him for seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers in Week 16. Ewers was at the helm for the last three games of a 7-10 campaign for McDaniel, who lost his job after two straight sub-.500 seasons. Although his final two years in Miami didn’t go well, McDaniel is highly likely to stay in the league as either an offensive coordinator or a head coach in 2026.
Like McDaniel, Daboll is fresh off a first-time head coaching stint that began with a flourish but ended with a thud. The Giants went 9-7-1 and won a playoff game in 2022, Daboll’s rookie year as a head coach. He meshed well with quarterback Daniel Jones, who landed a four-year, $160MM extension in the ensuing offseason. That wound up as a major misfire for the Giants. Jones endured a horrid 2023 in which a torn ACL limited him to six games. After he failed to bounce back the next season, the Giants released him in late November.
After combining for a 9-25 mark from 2023-24, Daboll entered this season on the hot seat. The Giants remade their QB room in the offseason with two free agent pickups, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, as well as first-round pick Jaxson Dart. Wilson began 2025 as the Giants’ starter, but Daboll pulled the plug on the former star after an awful showing in a loss to the Chiefs in Week 3. Dart took over under center and went on to impress as a rookie, though Daboll didn’t last the year. The Giants fired him after a 2-8 start.
Daboll went a dismal 20-40-1 as New York’s head coach, but he joins McDaniel as someone who at least figures to work as a coordinator next season. Taking over the Eagles’ offense would give Daboll his fifth try as an NFL O-coordinator. He previously held the position with the Browns (2009-10), Dolphins (2011), Chiefs (2012) and Bills (2018-21). The Giants hired Daboll after a particularly fruitful run in Buffalo, where he helped Josh Allen go from raw prospect to superstar.
Also a former Alabama offensive coordinator and QBs coach, Daboll has prior working experience with Hurts and Smith. The three were together in 2017, a national championship-winning season for the Crimson Tide. Hurts was at the helm for the majority of the season, but after a rough first half in the title game, Alabama benched him for Tagovailoa. It ended up as a wise move in a 26-23 win over Georgia. Smith caught the game-winning 41-yard touchdown in overtime.
Adding to his familiarity with Hurts and Smith, Daboll coached Barkley in New York from 2022-23. General manager Joe Schoen let Barkley walk to the division rival Eagles in free agency in March 2024. Barkley, who has become an integral part of the Eagles’ offense since then, could reunite with Daboll soon.
Steelers Request HC Interviews With Rams’ Chris Shula, Nate Scheelhaase
One day after Mike Tomlin resigned, Pittsburgh has picked a pair of Rams assistants as its first head coaching candidates. The Steelers have requested interviews with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula and pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Pittsburgh turned heads when it tapped Tomlin, then just 34 years old, as Bill Cowher‘s successor in January 2007. Tomlin went on to last 19 years in the Steel City. He won a Super Bowl, led the Steelers to the playoffs 13 times, and famously didn’t post a losing season before stepping down from the role Tuesday.
As a future Hall of Famer and a Pittsburgh institution, Tomlin will be a tough act to follow for anyone, let alone a first-time head coach. Shula and Scheelhaase don’t carry any head coaching experience, but they’ve earned strong reputations for their work on Sean McVay‘s staff. Teams in the market for head coaches have taken notice of the two this offseason.
There are nine clubs that don’t have a head coach. Seven have requested interviews with the 39-year-old Shula, grandson of the legendary Don Shula.
Chris Shula has worked under McVay in various roles since 2017, the beginning of the head coach’s tenure in Los Angeles. Shula took over as the Rams’ defensive coordinator in 2024. In their first post-Aaron Donald season, the Rams finished a below-average 17th in points and 26th in yardage. They improved to 10th and 17th, respectively, in those categories in 2025. The Rams also ranked fifth in takeaways and seventh in sacks during the regular season.
Scheelhaase, 35, is a former Illinois quarterback who began his coaching career at the school in 2015. He went on to work for Iowa State, including as its offensive coordinator in 2023, before jumping to the pros in 2024. He spent last year as the Rams’ offensive assistant and passing game specialist. McVay moved Scheelhaase to pass game coordinator duties this season.
Considering the Steelers, Ravens, Browns and Raiders have all requested interviews with Scheelhaase, it’s clear his stock around the league is rising. It helps that the Rams boast one of the game’s premier aerial attacks. Quarterback Matthew Stafford may be weeks from winning his first MVP. His favorite target, Puka Nacua, led the league with 129 receptions during the season, and Davante Adams hauled in an NFL-best 14 touchdowns.
Thanks in part to Shula and Scheelhaase, the Rams are still alive heading into the divisional round. They’ll face the Bears on Sunday with a spot in the NFC title game on the line. Whenever the Rams’ season ends, they could lose at least one of their up-and-coming assistants to a team in need of a head coach. Pittsburgh, which is looking for its fourth sideline leader since 1969, has emerged as a potential landing spot.
Falcons To Interview Antonio Pierce For HC Job
Former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has emerged as a candidate in Atlanta. The Falcons will hold an in-person interview with Pierce this week, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Pierce didn’t coach in 2025, instead spending the season with CBS as an NFL analyst. Matt Ryan, the Falcons’ new president of football, worked at CBS for three years before returning to Atlanta to lead its front office. Ryan will at least consider turning to his former CBS colleague to replace the fired Raheem Morris.
Like Morris, Pierce carries a sub-.5o0 record as an NFL head coach. Pierce got off to a decent start in taking over as Las Vegas’ interim HC in 2023, however.
After the Raiders fired Josh McDaniels, Pierce guided the team to a 5-4 finish during an 8-9 campaign. Pierce won over his players, including star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who would have requested a trade had the Raiders hired a different head coach. That was enough to convince owner Mark Davis to promote Pierce to the full-time role.
While Davis hoped Pierce would be the Raiders’ first multiyear answer on the sidelines since Jon Gruden, it didn’t work out that way. Crosby’s standout play continued in 2024, but so did the Raiders’ woes at quarterback, among other areas. The Raiders stumbled to a 4-13 record, leading Davis and heavily influential minority owner Tom Brady to send Pierce packing a year ago.
Despite a 9-17 record in Vegas, Pierce is now under consideration for multiple HC openings. The former linebacker interviewed with the Giants, one of his ex-teams, last week. The Giants are aggressively pursuing John Harbaugh, who’s also on the Falcons’ radar. If Pierce is a serious candidate for either job, where Harbaugh ends up could affect his chances of landing a second head coaching opportunity this offseason.
John Harbaugh Planning In-Person Falcons, Titans Interviews
Day 8 of the John Harbaugh watch produced the first in-person meeting for the high-profile coaching candidate. The Giants booked that summit and have Harbaugh on-hand today.
Unless the Giants can convince Harbaugh they are the perfect fit today, it appears the veteran HC will have more visits to make. Harbaugh is currently planning in-person meetings with the Falcons and Titans, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. The early expectation points to both meetings taking place over the next three days.
Considering this is Harbaugh’s first time on the coaching carousel in 18 years, it would make sense he takes more than one in-person meeting. The Giants, after all, have not done well to keep their interest a secret. It does not seem Harbaugh would lose leverage with the Giants if he leaves their facility today to take other meetings.
The Falcons were the first team to meet with Harbaugh officially, but the visit was virtual. The Titans initially came up as a team trailing the Giants and Falcons in these sweepstakes, but a subsequent report pegged Tennessee as being one of the three frontrunners to land this market’s top prize.
As for the Giants, Harbaugh has done plenty of homework. He has researched how the organization is run and spoken with ownership about potential improvements, according to Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano. Harbaugh, 63, is also not believed to have issues working with GM Joe Schoen, whom the Giants are retaining for a fifth year atop the front office.
Schoen used a first-round pick in last year’s draft on quarterback Jaxson Dart, whose presence could help lead Harbaugh to New York. Dart reportedly intrigues Harbaugh, though the Falcons and Titans also have young signal-callers who may appeal to the coach.
The Falcons spent the eighth overall pick on Michael Penix Jr. in 2024. Penix was unspectacular in his first two seasons, though, and he added to a long injury history with a partially torn ACL in Week 11. Led by new president of football Matt Ryan and a to-be-determined general manager, the Falcons will have to decide how to proceed at quarterback this offseason. It seems likely the Falcons will part with Kirk Cousins, which would at least put them in the market for a capable insurance policy behind Penix.
One thing is clear about Atlanta: QB issues aside, there’s enviable talent on hand with running back Bijan Robinson, No. 1 wide receiver Drake London and a defense that produced the NFL’s second-most sacks in 2025. However, the Falcons could lose tight end Kyle Pitts to free agency after he earned second-team All-Pro honors this season. Harbaugh, whose Ravens were often known for excellent tight end play during his tenure, may push to retain Pitts.
The Titans, meanwhile, took former Miami signal-caller Cam Ward No. 1 overall in 2025. Ward struggled as a rookie, but there was little help around him. Adding more talent in the offseason will be an obvious priority for GM Mike Borgonzi, who will have the cap space and draft capital to do it. Roughly two months before free agency, Borgonzi could massively upgrade the team’s head coaching position in moving from the Brian Callahan–Mike McCoy duo to Harbaugh.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
NFC East Notes: Smith, Cowboys, Draft, Giants, Eluemunor, Eagles, Commanders
Mentioned as a player who could move back to tackle, Tyler Smith is not going down that road yet. The Cowboys have seen Smith become an All-Pro at guard, and Brian Schottenheimer said (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer) the recently extended standout will be staying there entering the 2026 offseason. The second-year Dallas HC did indicate the door will be open to shift Smith outside, however. Smith lined up at guard for the bulk of 2025, but the 2022 first-round pick — who filled in for Tyron Smith at left tackle as a rookie — saw 203 snaps on the blind side this season. Smith is 3-for-3 in Pro Bowls as a guard; he signed a guard-record $24MM-per-year extension last September. As it stands, 2024 first-round pick Tyler Guyton will enter the offseason as Dallas’ top LT.
Here is the latest from the NFC East:
- Jerry Jones made good on past comments the Cowboys could trade into the draft assets acquired in the Micah Parsons trade for veteran talent, acquiring Quinnen Williams at the deadline. The Cowboys used a 2027 first-round pick as the headliner in a deal to acquire the Pro Bowl defensive tackle from the Jets. The team still has two first-round picks in 2026. “Don’t think that we couldn’t do some trading with those two No. 1s,” Jones said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “All of the value that you get out of having these extra picks and having some flexibility under the cap, we’re going to take advantage of it.” The Cowboys hold the Nos. 12 and 20 overall picks in the upcoming draft. Moving down the board would provide extra capital for a Cowboys team in dire need of defensive help; based on Dallas’ impressive first-round track record, it would surprise to see the team trade one of these two picks for veteran talent.
- The Commanders hold the No. 7 overall pick, and top sacker Von Miller is headed to free agency. While Miller is interested in staying, he will turn 37 in March. Washington is interested in adding EDGE talent in the draft or free agency, GM Adam Peters said (via The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala). The team has Dorance Armstrong entering a contract year. After pursuing Joey Bosa and DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency last year, Washington signed Miller over the summer.
- Among the non-Saquon Barkley storylines during the memorable Hard Knocks: Offseason HBO offering on the Giants from 2024 covered Jermaine Eluemunor‘s free agency. The former Raiders right tackle sought a two-year deal rather than a longer-term commitment, betting on himself. After playing out a two-year, $14MM pact, Eluemunor should command a decent deal ahead of his age-31 season. Indeed, the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz notes the Giants’ two-year RT is expected to command a “far bigger” contract than he did in 2024. Pro Football Focus graded the 31-year-old blocker 54th among tackles this season. He did start 31 games — at both right and left tackle — for the Giants over the past two seasons. Eluemunor will carry 76 career starts into free agency.
- A November ankle surgery sent Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba to IR. The operation appears likely to cost the rookie offseason time. The 2025 second-round pick said (via the Philadelphia Inquirer’s E.J. Smith) he hopes to be ready by the late summer. Mukuba made 10 starts as a rookie. The Eagles also have Reed Blankenship and Marcus Epps set for free agency at safety; one year remains on Sydney Brown‘s rookie contract.
Cards Request Arthur Smith HC Meeting
Not closely connected to John Harbaugh, the Cardinals’ HC search has been a background item as the sweepstakes for the ex-Ravens leader heat up. But Arizona is moving along with non-Harbaugh candidates.
One of them is Arthur Smith. The Steelers’ two-year OC received an interview request from the Cardinals on Wednesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. This is Smith’s second request; he met with the Titans, one of his former NFL employers, are meeting with him today.
The Steelers’ season is now over, clearing Smith’s schedule regarding coaching interest. Smith, 43, was a coveted candidate once upon a time; his star has dimmed a bit after three straight 7-10 seasons as the Falcons’ HC. Smith did receive interviews for the Bears and Jets’ positions last year.
While not the HC prospect he once was, Smith did coax a solid season from Aaron Rodgers after helping a Russell Wilson-guided team to the playoffs last season. After a 28th-place offensive ranking in 2023, the Steelers rebounded under Smith by finishing 16th in scoring last season. They moved to 15th in 2025. Rodgers finished with 3,322 yards in 16 starts, throwing 24 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. The all-time great averaged only 6.7 yards per attempt, but Pittsburgh’s offense lacked much firepower beyond D.K. Metcalf.
Smith leaned into the run with Atlanta, almost by choice due to the team’s QB situation. After the Falcons traded Matt Ryan to the Colts in 2022, Smith oversaw offenses piloted by Marcus Mariota and then Desmond Ridder. The Falcons stood down on QB investments in 2023, giving the job to Ridder. That turned out to be a mistake, one that played the lead role in Smith being fired. But the former Titans OC is back in the mix for a top job. With nine vacancies now — including the Steelers’, with Smith boss Mike Tomlin stepping down after 19 years — Smith is a name to follow once again.
Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is how the Cardinals’ process looks as of Wednesday morning:
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Patriots): Interview requested
- Matt Burke, defensive coordinator (Texans): Interview requested
- Jeff Hafley, defensive coordinator (Packers): Interview requested
- John Harbaugh, former head coach (Ravens): Contacted
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/10
- Mike LaFleur, offensive coordinator (Rams): To interview
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/13
- Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): To interview
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/9
- Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator (49ers): To interview
- Chris Shula, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interview requested
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interview requested
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/9
Giants To Meet With John Harbaugh
The most aggressive team in the John Harbaugh pursuit will have a chance to make a sales pitch. Harbaugh is meeting with the Giants today, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report.
This will be the longtime Ravens HC’s second meeting since becoming a coaching free agent; the Falcons received the first, meeting with him Monday. This will, however, be Harbaugh’s first in-person meeting, NFL.com adds.
[RELATED: 2026 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Both John Mara and Steve Tisch are expected to be at the meeting, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan and Ian O’Connor. The Giants have satisfied the Rooney Rule, which required HC-seeking teams to interview at least two external minority candidates, meaning they could make a hire today if they chose.
Harbaugh has been connected to the Titans, Dolphins and Browns as well; as it stands, Atlanta, New York and Tennessee have been viewed as the frontrunners. But no known interviews have been scheduled there just yet, and Rapoport adds there is a chance Harbaugh does not leave the building without a deal in place today. A Titans meeting is believed to be in Harbaugh’s plans, according to the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. The Falcons would also like to bring Harbaugh in for an in-person meeting, veteran insider Jordan Schultz notes.
Joining the Falcons in monitoring Harbaugh’s Ravens status before his firing, the Giants have been in heavy on the Super Bowl-winning HC since his Baltimore ouster. The Giants came up as a team “all in” on Harbaugh quickly and team exec Chris Mara — John’s brother — had lunch with the free agent coach recently. Countless conversations have occurred between Harbaugh and the Giants, per Rapoport, raising the stakes for this in-person meeting. Chris Mara and Joe Schoen will be at this meeting as well, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano tweets.
The Giants are believed to appeal to Harbaugh in part because of their Jaxson Dart draft choice in last year’s first round. New York has plenty of needs and has won more than six games in a season just once over the past nine years. The team also is retaining Schoen, though it should be expected a Harbaugh hire would reduce the fifth-year GM’s power in the organization. Harbaugh is not believed to covet full personnel control, however.
New York already went with a coach carrying a special teams background, hiring Joe Judge in 2020, but Harbaugh obviously transcends such status by now. He led the Ravens for 18 years, winning a Super Bowl and reaching four AFC championship games. A failure to reach a Super Bowl with Lamar Jackson doomed Harbaugh in Baltimore, but as many as nine teams — including some with HCs employed — contacted him hours after his firing.
There are now nine HC vacancies, but with Mike Tomlin not viewed as likely to dive into this pool (instead eyeing a TV role for 2026), Harbaugh is the biggest fish out there. He may make the first move to shape this year’s market.
Now 63, Harbaugh will undoubtedly be seeking a team that can present ingredients to win immediately. With the Giants entering Week 17 in the No. 1 overall draft slot (before falling to No. 5), it is worth wondering if they have the best case among interested teams. But Dart’s presence on a rookie contract (through at least 2027) does give New York a selling point some of the other teams angling for a splash hire do not.
Harbaugh is believed to have spent the weekend discussing arrangements with potential assistants. A decision could be coming soon, and the Giants’ pitch will be a key storyline as this chase continues.
Vikings WR Jordan Addison Arrested On Trespassing Charge
Seminole Indian Police arrested Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison on a misdemeanor trespassing charge, according to ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert. The arrest occurred Monday morning in Tampa.
The arrest took place at 3:46am ET on Monday at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino; Addison, 23, was booked and charged with trespass in an occupied structure or conveyance, per Seifert. This is a first-degree misdemeanor charge. The young wideout was released Monday afternoon on a $500 bond.
This incident marks Addison’s third brush with the law since the Vikings drafted him in the 2023 first round. He was cited for driving 140mph on a Minnesota highway in July 2023. The following summer, Addison was arrested on suspicion of DUI after being found asleep at the wheel of a vehicle near Los Angeles International Airport. The latter incident led to a three-game suspension to open the 2025 season.
Addison became extension-eligible this month, completing his third NFL season. From a yards-per-game standpoint, Addison is coming off his least productive season. He caught 42 passes for 610 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, though the Vikings’ issues breaking in J.J. McCarthy at QB — during a season that featured Carson Wentz and rookie UDFA Max Brosmer taking snaps — contributed heavily to Addison’s third-year regression. Justin Jefferson played in 17 games but only reached 1,048 yards.
“Jordan is unique because 99% of the days that Jordan Addison is a Viking, he’s a joy to be around,” Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. “He’s incredibly intelligent, confident, responsible. And then it’s like all of us: What are you like on those 1% of days? Is it the type of thing that draws attention or not? Obviously that’s something we have to consider when you’re talking about long-term ramifications of a contract extension and different things like that, or letting somebody like Jalen Nailor leave.
“We’ll have those conversations, obviously. Just a few days after the season and obviously this event just happened. But always supportive of Jordan Addison. We’ll continue to fact-find and see what actually happened, and then we’ll have those conversations in the future.”
Extension talks have not occurred with Nailor, who will hit free agency in March. Minnesota can buy more time to evaluate Addison by picking up his fifth-year option; the team will need to make that decision shortly after the draft. The Lions proceeded down this path with Jameson Williams, picking up his option — after multiple suspensions — and extending him months later.
Mike Tomlin Resigns As Steelers HC
Mike Tomlin‘s 19-year Steelers coaching run will come to an end following the team’s wild-card loss to the Texans. The Pittsburgh icon informed his team he is stepping down, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler report.
This marks a sea-change offseason in the AFC North. Tomlin and John Harbaugh entered 2026 as the NFL’s longest-tenured HCs. Now, both are out of jobs. Three of the division’s teams, also including the Browns, are looking for leaders. Nine head coaching positions are now available around the league. Harbaugh is the biggest fish available; it is not fully known if Tomlin wants to enter the pool. This was not a firing, Schefter added during a SportsCenter appearance, noting this had been on Tomlin’s mind since before the season.
A report last week indicated Tomlin had an open invitation for a TV gig should he step aside in Pittsburgh, and veteran insider Jordan Schultz notes that is the expected path the Pennsylvania staple will take. Like Bill Cowher in 2007, Tomlin will be expected to enter the media realm.
Cowher ultimately never returned to coaching, but Schultz points to Tomlin eventually being part of the 2027 HC carousel. This would move him down a Sean Payton– or Bruce Arians-like path. If Tomlin pursues TV, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reports CBS, FOX, ESPN and NBC will have interest.
“During our meeting today, coach Tomlin informed me that he has decided to step down as our head coach,” Steelers owner Art Rooney II said in a statement. “Obviously, I am extremely grateful to Mike for all the hard work, dedication and success we have shared over the last 19 years. It is hard for me to put into words the level of respect and appreciation I have for coach Tomlin.
“His track record of never having a losing season in 19 years will likely never be duplicated. My family and I, and everyone connected to Steelers management, are forever grateful for the passion and dedication Mike Tomlin has devoted to Steelers football.”
Tomlin, 53, will walk away after six straight playoff one-and-dones. The Steelers ran into a defensive buzzsaw in the No. 5-seeded Texans on Monday night, losing 30-6. While playoff shortcomings defined the second half of Tomlin’s Steelers tenure, he is a Super Bowl-winning HC who made it back to the NFL’s biggest stage two years later.
Nearly 15 years after Tomlin’s Steelers lost Super Bowl XLV to the Aaron Rodgers-led Packers, the two teamed up when the future Hall of Fame quarterback signed with Pittsburgh. Rodgers’ career may well end with the loss to Houston as well, though the QB icon has said he is open to returning. With Tomlin playing such a key role in Rodgers’ joining the Steelers, will he still entertain a return for the 2026 season?
Two years remained on Tomlin’s contract, with the Steelers having until March 1 to exercise a 2027 option on the deal. Had the Steelers done so, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac notes approximately $50MM remained on the deal. A source informed Fowler that Tomlin did not see much left to chase in his current role. The accomplished HC will be a surefire Hall of Fame candidate, having gone 193-114-2 with the Steelers in a tenure that included 13 playoff berths and three AFC championship game appearances. The Steelers won eight playoff games under Tomlin, though the January success stopping by the 2017 season caused considerable unrest among Pittsburgh fans.
Tomlin quickly confirmed after a wild-card loss to the Ravens last season he would return, but The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson indicates a belief existed Tomlin felt underappreciated among contingents around Pittsburgh. Plenty had called for change, but it is notable it may have contributed to Tomlin dissatisfaction.
Frustration about the Steelers’ high-floor, low-ceiling status had festered for years, and chants calling for Tomlin’s firing rang out during a one-sided loss to the Bills in late November. As Tomlin-led teams have done repeatedly, however, the Steelers rallied down the stretch to avoid a losing season and book yet another playoff berth. Still, a report indicated just before Week 18 that Tomlin could still leave after Year 19. The Texans’ defense smothered Rodgers and Co. Monday night, turning the team’s first AFC North title in five years into another one-and-done — this one via blowout despite C.J. Stroud struggling for most of the game.
While the Raiders are looking for their fifth full-time head coach this decade, the Steelers’ Tomlin successor will only be the franchise’s fourth since 1969. Chuck Noll lasted 23 years in the Steel City, winning four Super Bowls and establishing the franchise as one of the NFL’s elite. Cowher succeeded Noll in 1992, winning immediately and guiding the team to two Super Bowls 10 years apart. Cowher won Super Bowl XL and stepped away a year later. The Steelers hired Tomlin at age 34, tabbing him despite only one season of coordinator experience (with the 2006 Vikings) on his resume.
Tomlin had coached the Buccaneers’ DBs for five seasons before that, working under Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden. This included a Super Bowl win as an assistant. The hire turned out to be a defining decision for the Steelers, who gave Tomlin seven extensions during his near-two-decade tenure.
Coaching a historically good Steelers defense in 2008, Tomlin saw a Ben Roethlisberger game-winning drive culminate with a Santonio Holmes toe-tapping touchdown to defeat the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. The Steelers lost 31-25 to the Packers two years later. The “Killer B’s” version of the Steelers advanced to the 2016 AFC title game, dropping a runaway loss to the Patriots. Pittsburgh’s divisional-round win in Kansas City that season is Tomlin’s most recent playoff win.
Tomlin’s tenure included wild-card losses to the likes of Tim Tebow and a Browns team competing without Kevin Stefanski, who was sidelined with COVID-19. Pittsburgh also dropped a divisional-round game at home to the Jaguars, allowing 45 points to a Blake Bortles-quarterbacked squad. The Steelers then lost their postseason openers to close the 2021, ’23 and ’24 seasons to form a trend that came to define them as of late. The most recent Tomlin extension came in 2024, and two more playoff appearances followed. But Pittsburgh has been unable to find a long-term quarterback option since Roethlisberger’s retirement, keeping the franchise in its current place.
The Steelers missed on Kenny Pickett in the 2022 first round, selecting the passer at No. 20 without trading up. That QB class, save for Brock Purdy‘s stunning San Francisco success, has underwhelmed. The Steelers benched Pickett late in the 2023 season and traded him to the Eagles shortly after signing Russell Wilson in March 2024. Pittsburgh pursued Matthew Stafford and a Justin Fields re-signing last year, with Rodgers being the team’s third choice.
The Steelers were not Rodgers’ first choice, either, with the 20-year veteran preferring Minnesota. But the sides made it work. Pittsburgh’s 10-7 record will once again leave a path to a QB draft pick sketchy, with the team set to hold the No. 21 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Rodgers coming back in a bridge scenario has surfaced as an option, but the Steelers’ next HC will need to solve this problem — especially as Tomlin defensive staples Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt are either in the twilight of their careers (Heyward) or moving toward it.
Pittsburgh also added veteran pieces to its roster in hopes of an elusive playoff victory, trading for Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith and D.K. Metcalf. These moves came a year after they signed Patrick Queen in free agency. It will be interesting to see how Pittsburgh proceeds with some of its veterans, as it is not out of the question the team will enter a new phase post-Tomlin.
This will represent a pivotal offseason for Omar Khan, who will make his first coaching hire as GM. Khan arrived in Pittsburgh before Tomlin and will now be tasked with helping Rooney find his successor. That to-be-determined coach will have big shoes to fill.
It will be interesting to see where Tomlin lands and if he will eventually coach again or take the Cowher path by settling into the TV industry. The Steelers retain Tomlin’s rights, like the Saints did with Payton. If/when Tomlin returns to the sideline elsewhere, Pittsburgh can recoup draft compensation in a trade scenario.