In case you haven’t heard, Mike Tomlin is on the proverbial “hot seat” — not an official status imposed by the Pittsburgh Steelers organization, but by fans and media alike after an embarrassing Wild Card exit.
Amid rumblings about Tomlin’s tenure — the longest in the NFL — as head coach following continued postseason struggles, Super Bowl-winning coach and NFL analyst Tony Dungy offered some food for thought on “The Dan Patrick Show.”
Tony Dungy Poses Key Question About Mike Tomlin’s Future in Pittsburgh
“Let me ask this, ‘Who am I going to get that’s better?'” Dungy said. “That’s the thing that’s going to go through [team president and owner] Art Rooney’s mind. I can move on from Mike Tomlin, but what’s my next plan?
“And when you look around out there, there’s no guarantee that you are going to get somebody who knows your organization. Who can build this and do it any better? So I think that’s what’s going through their mind right now.”
Therein lies the rub.
But that’s a risk the organization has to take when it considers moving on from a successful head coach. It’s valid now and will be valid when Tomlin’s contract expires in 2027. It shouldn’t cause the Steelers’ brass to be idle.
If Rooney were to genuinely explore replacing Tomlin, however, the options would be limited. While more candidates could emerge after the Super Bowl, Detroit Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn top the list of sought-after head coaches. Former Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll wants to return to the sideline in 2025. But in terms of seasoned coaches experienced in winning, that’s as good as it gets.
Clock Is Ticking for Tomlin in Pittsburgh
“It has been a while, and you do have to win,” Dungy said. “Eventually, you’ve got to come into the playoffs hot. You’ve got to build this, and you’ve got to win a couple of games in the playoffs. The last three or four years have been very disappointing.”
But Tomlin’s job is safe and likely through the life of the contract, which expires in 2027. Even after six seasons of one-and-done when Pittsburgh has reached the playoffs, the Rooneys awarded Tomlin a three-year contract extension in June. The contract, one year longer than typical Tomlin extensions, includes a no-trade clause.
If the trade speculation held water, which it doesn’t appear to, a lot would have to happen to make that deal work.
Regardless of the lack of playoff success, Tomlin is capable of winning. As Dungy said, though, the clock is ticking for Tomlin if his Steelers can’t show they hang with the big dogs in the playoffs.
The fact is, this is all just offseason fodder for Steelers Nation and local and national media. On Jan. 12, a report surfaced from Gerry Dulac, Steelers insider for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, that Tomlin isn’t going anywhere. While he’s been wrong occasionally, Dulac has been around the block and has Rooney’s ear.