Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin found himself approaching the NFL coaching hot seat in mid-December after the team dropped to 7-7. While the Steelers turned things around and made the playoffs, it appears there’s still a chance the team will need a new head coach in 2024.
The NFL coaching carousel is already active, with one of the best head coaches in football (Mike Vrabel) recently fired. In addition, future Hall of Fame coach Bill Belichick is facing the likelihood of being dismissed by the New England Patriots.
- Mike Tomlin coaching record: 173-100-1 (.633) in the regular season with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Related: Pittsburgh Steelers coaching candidates to replace Mike Tomlin
There was a time this season when some thought Pittsburgh should trade or fire Tomlin. After a three-game losing streak, with the offense struggling, Tomlin’s name popped up as a possibility to either be traded or et go. While a three-game winning streak to close out the regular season ended that talk, it appears there’s still a chance of a Steelers coaching search in 2024.
During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Adam Schefter disclosed that there is talk around the NFL that Tomlin could step down as the Steelers’ head coach following the season.
“I don’t know what Mike Tomlin is gonna do but I can tell you that people out there in the league think after this season he could walk away.”
Adam Schefter on Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin potentially stepping down after the NFL playoffs
Even if that happens, there is little belief that Tomlin would leave football for good. Instead, the theory is that before his age-52 season, the iconic Steelers’ coach could sit out a year. He would be following in the footsteps of Sean Payton, who enjoyed a one-year hiatus in 2022 and was then traded by the New Orleans Saints to the Denver Broncos.
Tomlin is one of the most well-liked coaches in the NFL. Not only is he the only coach in NFL history to go 17 consecutive years without a losing season, but he has provided stability through turbulent times in Pittsburgh. If he decides to walk away, it would be a blow for the Steelers and Pittsburgh would be at risk of falling weeks behind other NFL teams in the process of searching for a new coach.