The Pittsburgh Steelers will look a little different in 2026.
For the first time in 19 seasons, they’ll have a new head coach on the sidelines. Following a seventh straight playoff loss, the Steelers’ world was rocked again less than 24 hours after the 30-6 blowout loss to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round.
Head coach Mike Tomlin is stepping down after 19 seasons.
His decision.
It marks the end of an era for the coach and team, who have never experienced a losing season in Tomlin’s 19 years as head coach. He was on the sidelines for 309 games, posting a 193-114-2 record to go along with an 8-12 record in 20 playoff games.
The NFL has already seen the departure of longtime Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh this offseason. Now Tomlin is ready for his next chapter, whatever that may be.
Here’s what that could look like for Tomlin.
Will Mike Tomlin go to TV?
Television has always been seen as the next logical step for Tomlin, who could follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Bill Cowher, who has been part of ‘The NFL Today’ on CBS since leaving Pittsburgh.
Given Tomlin’s longevity on NFL sidelines, he would be a coveted analyst for whichever network wants to hire him. Fox is considered the favorite, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, given that they did not fill the void left by Jimmy Johnson after his retirement.
It’s an interesting time in the sports media landscape, with the battle between traditional television and streaming reaching new heights.
The latest NFL TV deal has changed the game in a way, since ESPN will join the Super Bowl rotation next season, perhaps making a job with the network more enticing than it might’ve been before. Elsewhere, CBS just opened up a spot on their coverage when Matt Ryan departed for a job with the Atlanta Falcons.
Prime Video flexed its financial muscle to rights to NFL games and could easily do it again to secure someone like Tomlin. Then there’s NBC, which has the Super Bowl this season and could reset its coverage ahead of the next big game it’ll have in 2030.
If Tomlin were to opt for a TV gig, it wouldn’t prevent him from returning to the NFL sidelines down the road. Former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton spent some time with Fox as an analyst before ultimately deciding to take the Denver Broncos’ job after spending a season away.
Whether or not that potential reality could limit the network’s interest in Tomlin remains to be seen.
Taking a year off
After 19 seasons on the sidelines, perhaps Tomlin just wants a break.
The 53-year-old has been on the sidelines as a coach for 30 years and 19 of those seasons came as the Steelers head coach. It might just be time for a change. Most head coaches don’t last 19 seasons, let alone in one place.
If he wants, he could take a year off and think about what the future holds for him.
Back on NFL sidelines
Tomlin has long been considered one of the league’s best coaches. He never had a losing season in Pittsburgh. He won a Super Bowl.
He could easily walk into another head coaching job if he wanted one.
Notably, Tomlin can’t do that without the Steelers’ permission though. Since he stepped down, Pittsburgh still holds his rights, meaning Tomlin’s next stop would have to include some amount of compensation for the coach’s former organization.
Multiple reporters have described the coach as looking ‘tired’ this season, as everything started to weigh on the coach.
Regardless, there would be no shortage of suitors if Tomlin wanted a change of scenery. In fact, he’d likely have his pick of the bunch.
Is Mike Tomlin retiring?
Tomlin has not indicated that he is retiring. He is simply stepping down as the Steelers’ head coach after 19 seasons.
It’s unclear what the future holds for the now-former Steelers coach.
