Mike Tomlin’s first significant move after leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers had nothing to do with football and everything to do with family. It’s a page taken directly from Deion Sanders’ book. Yes, Steelers former head coach Mike Tomlin is making sure he fulfills his “daddy duties” just like his friend Deion Sanders after stepping away from coaching.

Tomlin was spotted in Athens, Georgia, cheering on his daughter, Harley, at the Georgia Bulldogs gymnastics meet on Friday night. Last year, Tomlin joked about wanting to be that loud, overly excited, proud sports parent cheering hard for his kid; now that he is no longer with the Steelers, he has plenty of time to do it.

His presence marks a special moment for Harley as she delivers on the big stage, leading the team with a 9.825 score on the balance beam. This marks Tomlin’s first appearance after he decided to step down from the Steelers’ head coaching role.

He perfectly follows Deion Sanders’ path of supporting kids and standing by them, even when they face challenging situations in their own careers. After facing a tough loss against Kansas State, Sanders’ season ended sooner than he expected.

But despite that, he made an unplanned appearance at the Cleveland Browns game against the Tennessee Titans to support Shedeur Sanders on December 7, 2025.

The same goes for Mike Tomlin, for whom family comes first, even though his busy career kept him away from them. Back in 2010, he hosted the All Pro Dad Father & Kids Experience at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex, which he attended with his four-year-old daughter, showing how much fatherhood means to him.

“It’s an awesome day for me because I get to come out and do it with my daughter,” Tomlin said. “I do a lot of activities with my boys, who are eight and nine. It’s great to have an opportunity to spend a day with her. It’s about forging great relationships with fathers and children.”

Back in January, too, Tomlin encouraged her daughter through a social media post when Harley was preparing for the GymDogs home opener against Boise State; he dropped a simple “Let’s go!” on Twitter. His support was one reason behind Harley’s rise.

Harley, a former four-star recruit and two-time Region 7 All-Around Champion, has clearly inherited Tomlin’s competitive drive, as evidenced by her leading the team on the balance beam.

“Mike indicated that he did not anticipate coaching, at least in the near future,” Rooney said. “I think he wants to spend time with his family and do some kinds of things he hasn’t been able to do for the last many, many years.”

While Tomlin’s focus on family is clear, his wife, Kiya, recently offered a deeper perspective on the motivations behind his long and successful career

Mike Tomlin’s wife makes a big statement about his Steelers move

Mike Tomlin’s decision to step down from coaching reverberated throughout the Steelers organization and the wider NFL community. Losing a coach who has never experienced a losing season is something that no one could accept. While analysts debate football reasons, as the loss to the Houston Texans fueled the move, the strongest opinion comes from his wife.

His wife, Kiya, talking about herself, first described herself as extremely proud and highlighted that Tomlin’s mission was never to win trophies.

“To help young men become great individuals,” she said.

Top Stories

Illegal Fight Sparks Chaos at Chili Bowl Nationals Leaving Team Member Struggling to Breathe

Caleb Williams Puts Locker Room on Notice After Rams Publicly Announce Bears QB’s Weakness

“Scary”: Heavyweight Andy Ruiz Jr. Cracks Streamer’s Jaw in Sparring and Boxing World Shows No Mercy

Andy Reid Announces Double Firing Decision as Patrick Mahomes Outlines Ideal Chiefs OC

Eagles Issue Statement on Lane Johnson’s Retirement Decision After Announcing Update on $96M Star’s Future

Russell Wilson Announces New Citizenship Plans Away From America as Giants QB Makes Career Decision

She made it clear that it was never about winning or losing for Tomlin; it was always about helping players become talented players. For Tomlin, success came through “coaching and fatherhood.”

His true legacy came through developing countless players over his 19 seasons with the Steelers, meeting their families, and assuring them of their kids’ success.