The Pittsburgh Steelers’ worst-case scenario for a Mike Tomlin trade may have been realized, as acquiring any draft capital for the future Hall of Fame coach appears to be more complicated than previously believed.
It was previously believed that the Steelers could land a massive trade haul if Tomlin ever decided to return to coaching, but a new report from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicates the team may get nothing if Tomlin waits until 2027, depending on the contract language.
“Tomlin’s contract could, in theory, make him a free agent immediately,” Florio wrote. “It all comes down to the terms of his contract.”
Basically, the Steelers would only be entitled to compensation if Tomlin’s contract allows the team to retain his coaching rights
after he stepped away. If those rights expire when the deal ends, he could coach elsewhere with the Steelers getting nothing in return.
Florio also added that because head coaching contracts are not made available to the public, there’s no way of knowing what language Tomlin’s deal uses. But it’s still a problem that could rear its ugly head for the Steelers as early as 2027.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers could miss out on huge Mike Tomlin trade
