Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin showed up for the postgame press conference Monday night. But he left only seconds after it began.
After the Steelers fell to the Buffalo Bills, 31-17, in the AFC wild-card game, the first question came from a reporter who began to ask Tomlin about his contract status. Before the reporter could complete the question, Tomlin abruptly left the podium and exited the press room at Highmark Stadium.
Tomlin signed a contract extension after the 2021 season that carries him through 2024. But Monday’s playoff loss was the fourth straight for the Steelers, who haven’t won a playoff game since 2016.
There have been rumors that Tomlin, now the longest-tenured coach in the NFL, could step away from coaching in 2024.
Report: Report unveils crucial insights into Mike Tomlin’s future with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin makes critical move to get Steelers to playoffs
While the Steelers failed to advance in the playoffs once again, Tomlin deserves credit for getting them there.
The Steelers looked like they would miss out on the playoffs with only three weeks to go. But then he inserted Mason Rudolph as the starting quarterback, and the Steelers, whose odds of making the playoffs had plummeted close to single digits, won three straight games to make it as the No. 7 seed.
Related: Pittsburgh Steelers coaching candidates to replace Mike Tomlin
Tomlin, only the third Steelers’ head coach since 1969, has compiled a 173-100-2 records and has led the Steelers to 11 playoff appearances, winning a Super Bowl in 2008. He has never had a losing season in Pittsburgh.