Mike Tomlin steps down as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach after 19 seasons

Mike Tomlin has stepped down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 seasons, the team confirmed Tuesday. Tomlin, 53, informed Steelers president Art Rooney II of his decision following the team's 30-6 wild-card playoff loss to the Houston Texans on Monday night.

"During our meeting today, Coach Tomlin informed me that he has decided to step down as our Head Coach," Rooney said in a statement. "Obviously, I am extremely grateful to Mike for all the hard work, dedication and success we have shared over the last 19 years."

Rooney noted Tomlin's accomplishments with the franchise. "He guided the franchise to our sixth Super Bowl championship and made the playoffs 13 times during his tenure, including winning the AFC North eight times in his career. His track record of never having a losing season in 19 years will likely never be duplicated."

Tomlin released his own statement shortly after the announcement. "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 said. "I am deeply grateful to Art Rooney II and the late Ambassador Rooney for their trust and support. I am also thankful to the players who gave everything they had every day, and to the coaches and staff whose commitment and dedication made this journey so meaningful."

The decision came after the Steelers' seventh straight postseason loss. The franchise has not won a playoff game since 2017. Monday's defeat marked the fifth consecutive playoff loss by at least 10 points.

Tomlin was hired in January 2007 to replace Bill Cowher, making him a relative unknown at the time. He won the Super Bowl during the 2008 season and led the Steelers to another Super Bowl appearance in his first four years. The Steelers will now search for just their fourth head coach since 1969.

Players reacted with shock to the news. ESPN reported that Steelers players were in "disbelief" after learning of Tomlin's departure as they began leaving the team facility. The meeting with the team to inform them of his decision lasted 30 minutes. Tight end Jonnu Smith told reporters before the decision was announced that Tomlin was a "fall guy" for fan frustration and called him "one of the best leaders" he had been around.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers defended Tomlin on Monday night after the loss. During a postgame press conference Tuesday, when asked a second question about Tomlin's future, Rodgers expressed frustration, saying he had already answered extensively about his feelings regarding the coach before standing up and leaving the conference.

Eight other NFL teams are currently searching for head coaches: the Giants, Falcons, Cardinals, Titans, Ravens, Browns, Raiders and Dolphins. According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, Tomlin has told people he would prefer to coach in a warm-weather environment if it fits his next opportunity.

Should Tomlin pursue a media role instead of coaching, multiple networks have expressed interest. Fox, ESPN, NBC, CBS and Amazon Prime Video would all be interested in bringing him on, according to reports. Fox is considered the favorite, as it seeks to fill the seat vacated by Jimmy Johnson on "Fox NFL Sunday," which features Michael Strahan, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Rob Gronkowski. Tomlin could receive multi-million dollar offers from any of the networks, according to sources.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti joked about the possibility of hiring Tomlin, saying "Holy s–t… wouldn't that be awesome" when asked if Tomlin was a candidate for Baltimore's head coach vacancy. Bisciotti added that he might reconsider after Pittsburgh eliminated Baltimore from playoff contention with a 26-24 victory in Week 18.

Tomlin had signed a contract extension following the 2023 season that was initially announced to run through the end of 2027. Had he remained, the Steelers would have needed to decide by March 1 whether to pick up a team option for 2027 or make 2026 the final year of his deal.