Behind the Steel Curtain
It’s been something you could set your watch to for the better part of five years – conversations starting about whether or not the Pittsburgh Steelers will move on from Mike Tomlin right around this time of the year. However, those conversations have largely just been speculation more than anything, with the Steelers themselves never showing any real interest in moving on from the longest-tenured head coach in major American sports.
Until now.
The Steelers have been connected to multiple head coaching candidates over the last week. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated noted that Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula is a name to watch for Pittsburgh.
“The Steelers, Ravens and Bills have generated conversation in recent weeks,” Breer writes. “Is there any reality to it? I don’t think these would be firings. But there is some thought that Mike Tomlin could look at a reset, with the Pittsburgh roster potentially going through one soon too, and take a year or two in TV before returning to the sideline. And interestingly enough, Shula’s name has been connected to the Steelers, in case there is an opening.”
Additionally, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that the Steelers had internal conversations about potentially hiring Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman before he committed to returning to the university.
“Though Freeman ultimately announced he’s staying at Notre Dame, there’s a strong belief around the league that this won’t be the last time his name is connected to NFL opportunities,” Russini writes. “The Giants, Titans and Browns all had internal discussions about Freeman, as did the Pittsburgh Steelers (in the event longtime coach Mike Tomlin decided to step away).”
This is the first time I can recall insiders going on record with names they believe could replace Tomlin – that’s not a coincidence. It’s not to say that Tomlin will 100 percent be gone in 2026, but it’s very clear that the Steelers are preparing for his departure. Things like this don’t get out by accident, and it’s certainly something to monitor in the coming weeks.
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