Could Mike Tomlin be the next head coach to depart the AFC North?
It’s a question that remains largely top of mind entering wild-card weekend, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reporting Wednesday the longtime Steelers coach’s future is not exactly concrete.
“There is no firm evidence as of now that Tomlin would leave Pittsburgh after 19 seasons. He’s been fiercely loyal to Pittsburgh. But a source close to Tomlin believes stepping away is at least a possibility,” the report stated.
“Does he need a break? It’s a question that hasn’t quite gone away, though only Tomlin truly knows what he will do. The source believes Tomlin would be more intrigued by doing TV than returning to the coaching market, should he leave the Steelers. The source wonders what Tomlin has left to chase as an NFL coach.”
Tomlin, a Super Bowl champion who has been at the helm in Pittsburgh since 2007, is the league’s longest-tenured coach.
John Harbaugh was a close second with the Ravens before the team severed its 18-season partnership with the Super Bowl winner on Tuesday.
The move out of Baltimore came two days after the team fell to the Steelers in Sunday’s regular-season finale, with the Ravens finishing the year at 8-9 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Although there had been much speculation about Harbaugh’s and Tomlin’s futures entering Week 18, a “source with ties to Tomlin is confident he will stay in Pittsburgh.”
Tomlin, owner of a 193-114-2 record in the regular season, is looking to improve his postseason mark of 8-11 as Pittsburgh prepares for its first-round showdown against the Houston Texans at home on Monday night.
This is the Steelers’ third consecutive playoff appearance. The team was ousted in the wild-card round by the Bills and Ravens, respectively, in back-to-back years.
Unlike previous runs, the Steelers have four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers under center this time around.
The 42-year-old quarterback, previously with the Jets, last reached the postseason in 2021 while a member of the Packers.
Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. Monday.
