The Pittsburgh Steelers locker room was left in a state of total disbelief this Tuesday following the sudden news that Mike Tomlin is stepping down. After 19 years as the head coach, Tomlin shared his decision with the team during a 2:00 PM meeting, just one day after their season ended with a disappointing 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans. Tight end Jonnu Smith described the emotional scene during an interview on ESPN Radio, explaining that the atmosphere turned heavy the moment Tomlin spoke.

“Yeah, man, I mean, we were all in shock. As soon as he mentioned it, the air in the room just got sucked up. And, you know, it was definitely a pit in my stomach. And me only having been around Mike T for half a year. The impact that he’s had on me has been instrumental, extremely instrumental. So I can imagine those guys that he’s brought in,” He said on ESPN Radio’s Freddie and Harry show. 

Taking examples of Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and the likes, Jonnu Smith continued, “Those guys that, you know, were Steelers from the beginning. And, you know, it’s another long list of those guys. But, you know, you talk about guys that, you know, played a lot of ball for Mike T, man, has that impact on him. So you can imagine what that mood was like in that room, you know, guys, one at a time, you know, as we leave in a meeting room, shaking his hand and, you know, giving our condolences, man, and showing our gratitude, you know, reminding them of the (1:03) impact that he’s had on us. It was probably the most emotional day, emotional exit meeting that I had in my past nine years in my career.”

“To see a guy who was so quintessential to this entire city, this organization, this entire football program in Pittsburgh, it was a bittersweet feeling… He got a standing ovation, because that’s what he meant to us (0:34) and to those who came before us.”

The timing of the departure has many fans asking why a coach who rarely loses would choose to leave now. This is because the Steelers’ consistency has turned into stagnation; for the fans, simply having a winning record is no longer enough to celebrate when the team fails to move forward in the postseason. 

The Steelers are currently struggling. They have not won a playoff game since 2016, losing their first game in each of their last six attempts. This includes a recent heavy loss to the Houston Texans.

Taking the 2025 season, for instance, the team’s play felt like a repeat of a tired pattern: the Steelers finished with a record of 10-7 in the regular season and reached the playoffs, only to lose to the Houston Texans by a score of 30-6. Despite high-profile veteran additions like Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf, the Steelers once again stumbled into the postseason through the “backdoor” thanks to help from other teams in their division.

This latest defeat cemented a dark piece of NFL history, as Pittsburgh became the first team ever to lose five straight playoff games by 10 points or more.

Steelers’ OC and players get emotional as they describe Mike Tomlin as ‘an approachable person’

Mike Tomlin is widely regarded as one of the greatest leaders in sports, a reputation built on his unique ability to connect with people. He treated leadership as a personal mission, often spending time with a prospect’s family on the sidelines to build trust long before a player even joined his team. His Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith, describes him as a deeply empathetic man who built individual relationships with every person in the building. 

“He had his own unique relationship with every player and every coach,” said his current OC, Arthur Smith, on Tuesday night. “He’s just a very approachable person. And then he’s got a lot of empathy, and I think he took everybody on, and he saw that person as an individual. And that’s why he had his own relationship with them.” Smith said.

Jonnu Smith also shared some words on the news of the head coach’s exit. Speaking about his mentor, Smith said, “You know, he was the greatest leader that I had in this game. Not a lot of guys, man, are cut like that guy, man. So I’m extremely grateful for the time that I had with him.”

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Tomlin’s on-field record is a testament to this steady approach. Over nearly two decades in Pittsburgh, Tomlin never had a losing season, the longest such streak to start a career in NFL history. He finished his tenure with 193 wins, tying him for ninth-most all-time, and maintained a winning percentage of .628. 

Even in his toughest years, the team never dipped below an 8–8 record, proving his ability to keep a locker room together through any challenge. And even though he has decided to leave his position as a coach with the Steelers, his love and respect for the team remain.

So what is next for the Steelers coach? As Tomlin moves on, his future looks bright and busy. Because of his charisma and deep knowledge of the game, every major TV network is expected to compete for his signature as a broadcaster. Tomlin might spend a year in the studio before the itch to coach returns. 

Given his proven track record of stabilizing and winning, there is no doubt that several NFL franchises will be waiting to bring his leadership to their sidelines when he is ready to make a return.