Mike Tomlin’s sudden exit may have blindsided the Steelers organization, but new revelations show it was a calculated move he had been planning for years. While the standard in Pittsburgh remained winning, Tomlin was quietly holding a secret that only two of his closest confidants in the media knew… long before he ever told Art Rooney II.

“The assumption we can draw from this that the only two people in the world to know Mike Tomlin’s plans outside of Mike Tomlin were Jay Glazer and Ronde Barber,” said Jacob Puntari on All Steelers Talk, via YouTube. “Not Omar Khan, not Art Rooney II. I find it hard to believe, only those two men knew and no one else knew.”

He further added, “Jay Glazer consistently has had pretty accurate information regarding Mike Tomlin. It seems they are very close. I have no doubts that he has inside information regarding everything that went down. The only two guys to know were he and Ronde Barber. That’s where I get really tripped up and almost want to call it a little selfish for not informing your employer of your long-term plans.”

After losing to the Houston Texans during the Wild Card Round, Tomlin stepped down as the HC the next day. It was so sudden that even the team’s owner, Art Rooney II, was shocked to the extent that he even mentioned it during his statement following his departure. Tomlin had informed no one about his decision.

As per the NFL Insider, Tomlin’s close friends, Jay Glazer and Ronde Barber, were told to keep quiet by the former HC. Surprisingly, Glazer confirmed it on the Jim Rome show.

“I think he’s done,” Glazer said on the Jim Rome Show. “He told me and Ronde Barber two years ago. He was like, ‘Hey, this is my plan. You can’t say this. Don’t show my hand. I’m telling you, you’re my guy.’ Last year, I thought he was gonna hang it up. He decided on one more. I thought he was gonna be done, so until it happens, it happens. But this year, kind of Week 8, I’m like, ‘Hey man, anybody that’s gonna change your mind?’ ‘Nope.’ Okay, I said, ‘Can I report it this week?’ ‘Nope.'”

Tomlin was with the Steelers for 19 years. Not even informing his employer seems like a bit of a lackluster decision on his side. Moreover, he did sign a contract extension in 2024. According to it, he was going to be in Steel City till the 2027 season.

The former HC never had a losing season in 19 years. His regular season record stood at 193–114–2. Unfortunately, his 8-12 postseason record appeared as a black spot on his resume. On top of that, he failed to win his last seven postseason games, despite being one of the youngest head coaches to win the Super Bowl. Despite all of his achievements, the Steelers Nation is unhappy with him after the latest news.

If he had signed a contract, perhaps the management would’ve been better prepared if the former HC had informed them about his decision. The executives would’ve had a plan for the road ahead and, most importantly, in selecting the potential candidate to fill his shoes. Although Mike McCarthy replaced him, it was seemingly a decision made in haste. Tomlin may have hung up his cleats for now, but it is probably not a permanent decision.

Mike Tomlin won’t walk the retirement path yet

Mike Tomlin may have left the Steelers, but he may not be ready to leave football yet. Sure, he has taken some time off from the game and is taking the outside life. However, it does not mean he won’t return, especially since he may already have a job waiting for him. ESPN’s Peter Schrager believes that being a man of football, Tomlin may end up being an NFL analyst.

“Having worked in the TV game for quite some bit, I will tell you, having worked at Fox, having worked at NFL Network, and now here at ESPN, there is a chair waiting — whether it be in the booth or on one of these wonderful, warm, weather-controlled sets — for Mike Tomlin to make a lot of money talking football if he so wishes for a year. Or, he can pick his spot of open vacant jobs,” said Peter Schrager.

That’s a valid reason, and FOX NFL seems to be the frontrunner in that regard. Former head coach and NFL analyst Jimmy Johnson retired from the FOX NFL panel after 31 years. NFL legend Robert Gronkowski replaced him. Based on his resume, the former Steelers HC also seems pretty qualified for the spot. One of the analysts of the panel, Michael Strahan, has also spoken about his retirement, so there’s a scope for Tomlin to change his position from the sidelines to in front of the camera.

“While we are not here to argue if Tomlin belongs in Canton or not, he qualifies for what Fox seeks, and the network would have interest, according to sources,” The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand wrote.

As things stand, he probably won’t return in 2026, but 2027—that’s a whole different story. It is still too early to comment on what he will do in 2027. Will he take up a media role for FOX or any other broadcast network, or will he return as head coach? It remains to be seen.