Pockets of Pittsburgh Steelers followers and native media personalities known as for the membership to half methods with head coach Mike Tomlin following his newest playoff defeat. Nonetheless, Steelers proprietor and staff president Artwork Rooney II made it quite clear in January that he by no means thought-about firing or buying and selling Tomlin.
For a bit printed Thursday, Steelers insider Mike DeFabo of The Athletic touched upon Tomlin’s future past the 2025 season.
“After the Steelers have been blown out by the Bills within the wild-card spherical in January 2024, extending the postseason win drought to seven seasons, the staff responded by giving coach Mike Tomlin a increase that made him one of many highest-paid coaches within the league,” DeFabo defined. “If the Rooney household doesn’t like consuming a pair hundred thousand {dollars} by firing a place coach, there’s no means they’d pay Tomlin tens of thousands and thousands to not coach. …I truthfully can’t envision a situation through which Tomlin isn’t the coach in 2026, regardless of how badly this season goes.”
The three-year contract extension related to the beforehand talked about increase reportedly included a no-trade clause. In brief, Tomlin would basically be doing the Steelers a favor subsequent winter by accepting a commerce to a unique staff quite than forcing Pittsburgh to fireplace him if Rooney actually desires to make a change at the moment.
“Maybe Tomlin could be prepared to waive his no-trade clause,” DeFabo stated. “However that additionally appears unlikely.”
Outsiders who view Tomlin, a one-time Tremendous Bowl champion head coach, as top-of-the-line leaders within the sport typically point out that he is by no means had a shedding season since he began his Steelers tenure in 2007. Alternatively, Tomlin’s critics level out that his groups additionally have not earned a single playoff win for the reason that 2016 season.
Considerably curiously, DeFabo provided his prediction on the identical day that Andrew Marchand of The Athletic talked about that Tomlin might be “the following $100M NFL TV analyst” if a prime job opens at one of many league’s
main media companions after the 2025 season concludes. Marchand was certain so as to add that Tomlin “has proven no inkling about exiting the sidelines,” however maybe the 52-year-old would welcome the payday that might include accepting a lighter schedule as a media character.
