Steelers Longtime Head Coach Steps Down: Where Does He Go from Here?
It’s the end of an era in Pittsburgh. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down on Tuesday. His decision comes after the team’s devastating loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round on Monday night. The Texans beat the Steelers 30-6. Monday’s loss was the team’s fifth playoff loss by 10 or more points. The Steelers haven’t won a postseason game in nine years.
Tomlin expressed his gratitude for his time in Pittsburgh. He said, “This organization has been a huge part of my life for many years, and it has been an absolute honor to lead this team.” He added, “I want to also thank Steelers Nation. Your passion, loyalty, and high expectations represent what makes this franchise truly special. Coaching in Pittsburgh is unlike anywhere else, and I will always take great pride in having been a steward of this team.” Steelers President Art Rooney II said, “My family and I, and everyone connected to Steelers management, are forever grateful for the passion and dedication Mike Tomlin has devoted to Steelers football.”
Tomlin coached the team for 19 seasons. The 53-year-old was the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL. The veteran coach has never had a losing season. He’s tied with former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for the second-longest number of consecutive winning seasons. During the 2025 season, Tomlin tied former Steelers head coach Chuck Noll with 193 regular season wins, which is the most in franchise history. Tomlin’s regular season record is 193-114-2. Under Tomlin’s leadership, the Steelers won eight AFC North Division titles.
The Steelers had two Super Bowl appearances while Tomlin was their coach. They defeated the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. They lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. Tomlin held the record for the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl until Sean McVay in 2022. During the later years of his career, Tomlin failed to transform his winning seasons into postseason success. His playoff record is 8-12.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tomlin plans to take a break from coaching. Tomlin has choices on what the next step in his career will be. He could work in TV as an analyst. Last week, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler stated that Tomlin has TV opportunities. He reported, “My understanding is that networks have had open invitations for Tomlin if he ever left coaching.” According to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, Tomlin has multiple TV networks to choose from: Fox, ESPN, NBC, CBS, and Amazon Prime Video. He reported, “He can likely receive multi-million dollar offers from all of them.” Tomlin may also decide to return to coaching in the NFL or transition to coaching college football after taking a year off.
The Steelers will begin their search for their fourth head coach since 1969. Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator Chris Shula, Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, and Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman have all been named by the media as potential candidates for the next Steelers head coach. Whoever is chosen has the option to replace the entire coaching staff. The new head coach’s decisions will help general manager Omar Khan and the front office build the team’s roster for the 2026 season.
