The Pittsburgh Steelers were shocked to see that their former head coach, Mike Tomlin, did not want to lead this team for a 20th season. Right after another embarrassing playoff loss, he officially hung up his hat and moved on from the league. Now, he is officially a part of NBC Sports as he will be doing pregame coverage of Sunday Night Football. With how fans loved hearing him speak in any situation, this should be an absolute hit for the broadcasting company that gets to showcase his talents every week.
NBC Sports Broadcast
Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin speaking with Maria Taylor on NBC Sports.
Many fans still had one question about Tomlin's new gig: is this permanent, or is it just to take a break from the constant grind of leading an NFL team and dealing with angry fans who want more than a playoff appearance? A break and a change of scenery could be what he needed to finally end his streak of mediocrity.
In his weekly Q&A chat, Gerry Dulac revealed what his sources told him about Tomlin's plans after 2026 and beyond.
"I've been told [Mike Tomlin] doesn't want to coach again," Dulac said.
If his sources are right, this is the end for Tomlin as far as coaching goes. Despite the frustrating end to his career, he will still go down as a Hall of Fame coach. He still won a Super Bowl, made another, consistently had winning seasons, and was a massive influence on many players during his 19-year career. He will go into Canton, Ohio as a true Steeler and have the respect of many that played under him during that time frame.
The biggest impact this has on the Steelers is draft compensation. If he were to return, it wouldn't be to Pittsburgh, as they gave Mike McCarthy a five-year deal to lead this team. Instead, he would be getting all kinds of offers elsewhere. His old team still retains his rights, so if he does agree to coach elsewhere, a team would have to trade for him, similar to the Denver Broncos acquiring Sean Payton after his "retirement."
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Denver Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton looks up at the scoreboard with his play sheet in hand during a regular season game.
The New Orleans Saints received a first-round pick after Payton came out of retirement to coach again. However, Tomlin is way more loved and respected in league circles. The Steelers could easily get a massive haul of draft capital if a team decides it wants to make him its new leader. Unfortunately, Dulac's report says otherwise. If he never coaches again, those retained rights mean absolutely nothing.
Tomlin is not the first Steelers coach to take this route. Bill Cowher has spoken about how the grind of coaching has worn him down as well. Ever since he retired after the 2006 season, he has been a respected analyst for CBS Sports. He was just a year removed from a Super Bowl victory when he decided it was time for him to step down after 15 years with the same organization. Sometimes, change is just needed.
Steelers May Be Avoiding The Burnout Phase From Head Coaches Now
Instead of hiring a young coach that could lead the Steelers for almost two decades, they opted to hire an older coach that is much closer to retirement than pure burnout. McCarthy has taken two years off of coaching during his career, with both being one-year breaks after being fired from other teams. With him coaching for his hometown team, there likely won't be a lot of burnout here.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers' new head coach Mike McCarthy (middle) takes picture with Team Owner Art Rooney II (left) and General Manager Omar Khan (right).
At 62 years old, he is expected to be a one-contract coach for the Steelers. The hope is that he can come in and properly develop a quarterback, then make way for a young coach to come in with a roster that is already built to win now. Only time will tell if this plan works well or if the angry fans make themselves known again.
What do you think about Tomlin not coaching ever again? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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