Sportsnaut
Mike Tomlin has been the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ head coach since 2007. Nineteen seasons. It’s a run most coaches dream of when getting into coaching.
He’d reach a status that almost seemed like he was untouchable, helping the Steelers win a Super Bowl and, incredibly, never having a single losing season. After going 193-114-2, Tomlin ranks 10th all-time on the NFL coaching wins list.
Yet, after the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs with an embarrassing 30-6 loss, Tomlin has apparently had enough.
On Tuesday, Tomlin informed the Steelers that he’s stepping down from his position as head coach. He won’t be seeking another head coaching or defensive coordinator position right away.
Statement from Steelers President Art Rooney II on Coach Mike Tomlin: pic.twitter.com/1g5iqKi9MN
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 13, 2026
Instead, he plans to step away from coaching for a while. Thus, perhaps all those rumors about Tomlin eyeing a position on TV, where he’d be analyzing football instead of coaching it, could come true.
If so, Tomlin would be stepping away from the everyday stress of worrying about wins and losses and whether he could ever actually be fired from the Steelers. Instead, he could be collecting similar paychecks, with salaries in the millions, to simply talk about the sport he’s mastered throughout his life.
Since he was not fired, if/when the 53-year-old future Hall of Fame coach decides to return to the sideline, the Steelers will still hold his rights. That means they’ll be allowed to trade him to a team that may be interested in his services, but again, it won’t come this season, barring a change of heart.
However, after losing his past seven playoff games, including not getting a postseason win since 2016, some in Pittsburgh feel it’s time for everyone to move on. Thus, the Steelers are now hunting for just their fourth head coach since 1969.
Related: Fired NFL Head Coach Could Sign TV Deal This Offseason
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