Questions have swirled around the NFL regarding Mike Tomlin’s future with the Pittsburgh Steelers and his potential availability in a trade.
It comes after the Steelers suffered their fifth consecutive one-and-done trip in the postseason, losing in embarrassing fashion to AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens, 28-14.
Tomlin has been Pittsburgh’s head coach for the last 18 seasons, compiling a 183-107-2 record. However, despite leading the Steelers to two Super Bowl appearances and winning one, his playoff record isn’t nearly as sterling at 8-11.
The Steelers’ last AFC Championship game appearance was during the 2016 season, and they haven’t won a Super Bowl since their 2008 team.
With a cloud hovering over Tomlin’s future in Pittsburgh, one team reached out to the Steelers in search of acquiring the head coach.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quickly rebuff Mike Tomlin trade request from this team
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reports the Chicago Bears reached out to the Steelers to try to trade for Tomlin but were quickly denied.
“Discussions never made it to Tomlin, nor is it likely they would have been successful even if they did. When asked earlier this week about the idea that a team could inquire about his availability — when in fact at least one team already had — Tomlin responded: ‘Save your time,'” Schefter reports.
According to the NFL insider, Tomlin has a no-trade clause in his contract, and one other team checked in with the Steelers about the head coach before moving on.
The Steelers are set with Tomlin, who signed a three-year contract extension last offseason, and won’t be moving on from him.
Even though the Bears were rebuffed, they have cast a wide net and have completed several head coaching interviews, including:
- Interim Bears head coach Thomas Brown
- Former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll
- Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy
- Former Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera
- Former Tennessee Titans and current New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel
- Former Stanford head coach David Shaw
- Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores
- Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn
- Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson
- New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka
- Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken
- Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing
- Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver
The Bears fired Matt Eberflus as head coach following a 4-8 start to the 2024 season — the first time in franchise history they dismissed a head coach in-season. Over three seasons with Chicago, Eberflus was 14-32.
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