Steelers Made Other Teams Looking For A Head Coach Upset With Definitive Win Over Bengals According To Fox NFL Insider

The Pittsburgh Steelers' season was going into a tailspin which started all kinds of speculation as to whether Head Coach Mike Tomlin would be done in Pittsburgh after the end of the 2023 campaign. Following embarrassing losses to the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh's season was on life support. A big blowout win over the Cincinnati Bengals has rejuvenated the juices for a team that was down in the dumps. It has also slowed the talk of Tomlin exit according to FOX Sports insider Jay Glazer. 

During his network's pregame show for the slate of games on Christmas Eve, Glazer was asked about the rumblings surrounding Tomlin's future in Pittsburgh. He said that the 34-11 win by the Steelers on Saturday, led by third-string quarterback Mason Rudolph, caused a lot of ire for some of the team poking around to see if Tomlin could be their next coach. Glazer is known as someone in the media that Tomlin trusts fully and many people's ears perk up whenever Glazer has any Tomlin tidbits. 

"When the Bengals lost last night, there was a lot of upset people in the NFL," he said. "Not because they're Bengals fans, because a lot of teams are looking at Mike Tomlin like 'Hey he could possibly be available after this season if the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to lose."  

Earlier in December, Glazer speculated that a possible trade of the head coach to the Washington Commanders made a ton of sense with the team needing new leadership and Tomlin being a Virginia native.

Steelers' Tomlin's Future Not Yet Decided With Playoffs Still A Slim Possibility 

The Steelers playoff chances took a huge nose dive after three losses dropped their record to 7-7. The Steelers need to win out and get some help to get into the postseason dance. Taking care of business and seemingly righting the ship for now with the domination of the Bengals was a very good first step. Team President Art Rooney II has a decision on his plate that will decide the future direction of the franchise and how the team plays last two weeks of the season is sure to play a huge role in what direction he goes. 

Glazer said that he's not sure about the future of Tomlin in Pittsburgh just yet. He said that his name has been brought up in conversations by every team with a potential opening at head coach in the 2024 offseason, but that doesn't mean any of these teams have actually submitted a formal inquiry to the Steelers about Tomlin's availability. Tomlin is still under contract for 2024, with the three-year extension he signed in 2021.    

"The Steelers might decide to get him to a contract extension this offseason," Glazer said. "All I'm telling you is Mike Tomlin's name has been brought up an awful lot lately." 

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio detailed on Saturday's Football Night in America that Tomlin is already involved in roster decisions for not just the 2024 season, but also 2025. He added that the organization has no desire to let him go somewhere else and that he wants to stay in Pittsburgh.

Things could still change with the situation over the final weeks of the season. The Steelers got a much needed spark to the offense with Rudolph putting up numbers that the team hasn't had since it was Ben Roethlisberger slinging the rock. After a tumultuous week, George Pickens silenced the critics with the game of his career that got the young receiver over the 1,000 receiving yards mark for the first time. While others speculate on what Tomlin's future in Pittsburgh could be, he's got a decision on a starting quarterback for New Year's Eve that is probably taking most of his attention.

Do you think Tomlin will be coaching in Pittsburgh next year? Comment below!

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