The Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens are not the only teams in the AFC North Division in search of a new head coach.
The Pittsburgh Steelers added their name to the list on Tuesday after the news
broke that Mike Tomlin is stepping down after 19 seasons as head coach of the Steelers.
The decision comes in the wake of Pittsburgh’s 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The loss was the seventh in a row in the playoffs for the Steelers, and the sixth consecutive playoff appearance that was one-and-done.
Tomlin, who was just the third head coach for the Steelers since 1969, posted a record of 201-126-2 with the Steelers, winning a Super Bowl in his second season in charge. He is most celebrated for never having a losing season with the Steelers, but he has also not led the Steelers to a playoff win since 2016.
Team president Art Rooney II released the following statement after the news broke:
During our meeting today, Coach Tomlin informed me that he has decided to step down as our Head Coach. Obviously, I am extremely grateful to Mike for all the hard work, dedication, and success we have shared over the last 19 years. It is hard for me to put into words the level of respect and appreciation I have for Coach Tomlin. 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.
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.
There has been speculation for months about Tomlin’s fate if the Steelers came up short again in the playoffs. Some believe Tomlin may head to a TV role for at least a year, but like John Harbaugh (fired by the Ravens) and Kevin Stefanski (fired by the Browns), Tomlin may want to continue coaching.
One thing that differentiates Tomlin from some of the other former head coaches looking for a new team is that he resigned while still having two years on his contract. That means Pittsburgh will retain Tomlin’s coaching rights and could, if they choose, negotiate compensation from his new team if Tomlin takes a coaching job before the end of the 2027 season, according to ESPN.
It is too early to tell if there would be interest between the Browns and Tomlin, but with Cleveland expressing a desire to interview Harbaugh, it would not be all that surprising if general manager Andrew Berry at least checked in to see what Tomlin is thinking about his future.
That would make for a potentially interesting scenario between the Browns and the Steelers. While Rooney may not want to stand in the way of Tomlin continuing to coach, he would likely try to get some form of compensation from the Browns, possibly even more than he would from a non-division rival.
Like Harbaugh, Tomlin knows the division and his teams routinely beat up on the Browns, especially in Pittsburgh, where Tomlin was a perfect 19-0 in the regular season.
So Tomlin is done in Pittsburgh, and the Steelers join the Browns and Ravens in the hunt for a new head coach.
And, somehow, Zac Taylor of the Cincinnati Bengals is now the longest-tenured head coach in the division as he heads into his eighth season in Cincinnati despite having a record of 57-65-1.
What do you think, Browns fans? Should Andrew Berry and the Browns consider Mike Tomlin for head coach? Let us know in the comments.
