Emotional Mike Tomlin Reveals Decision to Players – He’s Staying!
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s emotional behavior to close the season added to the mountain of speculation that he’s nearing the end of his tenure in Pittsburgh.
The emotion is real. But the speculation is wrong.
After Tomlin and the Steelers were eliminated from the 2023 postseason by the Buffalo Bills on Monday, Tomlin addressed the media as he always does. When a reporter began a question with, “You have a year left on your contract,” Tomlin silently ended the session by walking away.
On the day after, there is more clarity. NFL Network is reporting that in a Tuesday team meeting, the coach informed his players that he’s remaining in the job in 2024.
Tomlin is the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL since the departure of Bill Belichick from New England. And while he’s held that title for just a week, some were speculating that this season could be his final, regardless of the year that’s left on his contract.
The Steelers landed the No. 7 and final seed in the AFC just as the season ended, and expectations were not high entering the playoffs as they spent the year chasing the AFC North champion Baltimore Ravens.
Tomlin’s time in Pittsburgh is storied, with 17 seasons under his belt without a losing one. But Tomlin has just two conference championship game appearances since the 2008 Super Bowl championship, and none since a 36-17 loss to the Patriots after the 2016 season.
NFL Insider Ian Rapoport posted on social media on Monday that reports were Tomlin would be able to write his own ticket out of town when he decides to, and that the team would not fire him.
