Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin dominated the headlines ahead of Week 14. Fans were furious after Pittsburgh lost to Buffalo during Week 13. They turned their ire towards Tomlin, chanting “fire Mike Tomlin” during the game. But it seems that fans won't get their wish, at least not right away.
Pittsburgh has already decided not to fire Tomlin before the New Year. The Steelers will make a decision on Tomlin's future with the team after the season ends, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport shed more light on Tomlin's options for the future, now that a firing is not on the table.
Rapoport reported that “if Tomlin doesn't coach the Steelers in 2026, it will be because he made that decision.” He also shut down the possibility of a head coach trade, as it does not appear to be much of a reality at all.
The most likely option for Tomlin, if he doesn't stay in Pittsburgh next season, would be a gap year.
“Instead, if Tomlin decides to step back after a challenging 2025, the most likely scenario would be that he elects to take a year off, perhaps does some media, then re-enters the work force similar to what Sean Payton did when he stepped down as New Orleans Saints head coach after the 2021 season before joining the Denver Broncos in 2023,” Rapoport added.
If that were to happen, and Tomlin returned for another team in 2027, then Pittsburgh would receive some compensation for allowing him to seek another job.
For the record, Tomlin understands why Steelers fans are so upset. He's been in Pittsburgh long enough to know that winning is the standard.
“If you root for the Steelers, entertaining them is winning,” Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday, per the Associated Press. “If you've been in this business, you understand that. I respect that. I share frustrations. I understand what makes this thing go, and winning is what makes this thing go.”
It will be fascinating to see if Tomlin's streak of consecutive winning seasons comes to an end in 2025. If it does, it could be the end of an era in Pittsburgh for more reasons than one.
Steelers at Ravens kicks off at 1PM ET on Sunday.
