Mike Tomlin choosing to step down as the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ head coach this year was a shocker. He had traded his coaching whistle for studio lights and was excited to explore his new job with NBC. But the idea of his return never really went out the window. Only in September, Tomlin said, “It’s certainly not a 32-team league for me, but I’ve also learned to never say never. I love to coach.”
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Midway through the 2026 season, some coaches have already been put on the hot seat. Should Tomlin choose to come back, he is going to be a top priority in the market.
“Mike Tomlin is expected to be in extremely high demand as an NFL head coaching candidate in the coming months, but it’s not considered automatic that he would leave his broadcasting job at NBC to accept a big-money coaching offer,” Front Office Sports reported.
Ergo, it all depends on whether Mike Tomlin wants to come back.
“He will clearly be at the top of the list for any team that has an opening,” a high-ranking official with one NFL team told FOS recently. “If he’s willing to come back, that could cause a team or two to create an opening. It’s a call that you have to make if you’re looking for a coach.”
Earlier this year, Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti learnt of Mike Tomlin’s resignation in a press conference. When asked if the coach could be a candidate for the open position in Baltimore, he joked, “Wouldn’t that be awesome?” He also added that he had “disqualified” Tomlin after he pounded his chest in celebration after a Ravens kicker missed a field goal.
Tomlin’s legacy in Pittsburgh was built on a level of consistency few NFL coaches have managed to sustain. During his 19 seasons as head coach, he posted 193 regular-season wins, 114 losses, and two ties while guiding the franchise to an 8-12 postseason record. He never endured a losing season.
His worst finishes came in three separate 8-8 campaigns, a testament to how rarely his teams fell below .500. Only Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry managed a longer streak of consecutive non-losing seasons, recording 21. However, Tomlin, having spent decades on the sidelines, thought it was best to give this glorious career a rest and explore the other side of football for a change.
He’s having a proper blast at it, too.
“I’m having a ball, man. It’s, you know, it’s part-time work, full-time pay, you know what I [laughter] mean?” shared Tomlin on the Kelce brothers’ New Heights podcast.
Less work, more fun, more money, and still connected to football: the perfect package deal for Mike Tomlin. Looks like he’ll hold on to it unless an opportunity to coach becomes too big to pass on.
While the exact details of the contract are not available to the fans, it comes with a catch that favors Tomlin’s return to coaching.
“It’s believed that Mike Tomlin’s contract with NBC is lucrative by industry standards and that, while Tomlin is barred from moving to another network as a broadcaster for the duration of his NBC deal, he is permitted to return to an NFL coaching job if he chooses to do so,” Front Office Sports’ Mark Maske posted on X.
While there is no official offer on Tomlin’s plate yet, his name is now trending for the Dallas Cowboys.
Former Eagles Scout Shared Why Cowboys May Not Make a Move for Mike Tomlin
Well, wouldn’t it be a shock to see Tomlin in the Dallas blue and white?
Current head coach Brian Schottenheimer is now in his second season as head coach. This was supposed to be a comeback year, going 7-9-1 last year with the league’s worst defense. But in Year 2, Schottenheimer is at an awkward position once again, standing 4-5 after a win over the Indianapolis Colts.
However, former Philadelphia Eagles scout John Middlekauff is not convinced about Jerry Jones making the move for Tomlin.
“You don’t even go after the best and the brightest,” he said on the 3 & Out podcast. “If you fired Brian Schottenheimer at the end of the year, I don’t think anyone would assume they’re going to go all in for Mike Tomlin, they’re going to take a big swing. You know why? ’cause Jerry would never be able to swallow his pride and give Tomlin the Harbaugh deal,” he shared.
Mike McCarthy might have been the last flashy coaching hire the Cowboys made. He took the Cowboys to the playoffs, but sadly, the result that everyone wanted never came. It would be a surprise if Schottenheimer managed to pull it off in the future. But with someone like Tomlin at the wheel of the ship, the hope becomes serious.