It’s been a week since Mike Tomlin stepped down as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach, bringing an end to his 19-year run in the Steel City. Since then, speculation around his future has picked up quickly. Some have linked him to another football job, while others believe a move into media could be on the table. Tomlin himself, though, has yet to publicly clarify his plans. And now, his wife has added another layer to the conversation.

Taking to Instagram, Kiya Tomlin shared a message related to her clothing brand following Tomlin’s decision to step away from coaching. Notably, she framed the move as a retirement rather than a resignation, writing, “The response to the Coach T Collection following Mike’s retirement has been overwhelming — in the best way. Thank you for the incredible support!”

There has still been no official confirmation that Tomlin has retired from coaching altogether. But with his next move remaining unclear, that wording has only fueled the belief that stepping away from the sidelines, at least for now, is a very real possibility. The 53-year-old stepped down after the Steelers failed to end their postseason drought this year as well.

“This organization has been a huge part of my life for many years, and it has been an absolute honor to lead this team,” Tomlin said in a statement. “I am deeply grateful to Art Rooney II and the late Ambassador Rooney for their trust and support. I am also thankful to the players who gave everything they had every day, and to the coaches and staff whose commitment and dedication made this journey so meaningful.”

Tomlin informed the organization of his decision with two years still remaining on his contract. And the timing wasn’t exactly hard to understand. Frustration among Steelers fans had been building all season, with “Fire Tomlin” chants echoing through Acrisure Stadium during the regular season. Even though Tomlin managed to guide Pittsburgh into the playoffs with a regular-season finale win over the Baltimore Ravens, the momentum didn’t last.

Things unraveled quickly in the Wild Card round. After a flat offensive showing, the Steelers were blown out 30–6 by the Houston Texans. One day later, Tomlin officially stepped down, closing the book on a 19-year run as head coach. Over those 19 seasons, Tomlin never posted a losing record and finished with a 193–114–2 regular-season mark.

The postseason, however, told a different story. He left Pittsburgh with an 8–12 playoff record and a postseason drought that stretched close to a decade. Fast forward to now, and his wife’s recent Instagram post has only added to the retirement speculation. There’s still no official word on whether Tomlin has truly hung up his cleats. But even in silence, he continues to make waves, with multiple opportunities reportedly on the table.

Unemployment doesn’t seem to be on the cards for Mike Tomlin

Following his resignation as the Steelers’ head coach, Mike Tomlin has made it clear that he has no plans to coach during the 2026 season. That said, unemployment doesn’t appear to be part of the equation. According to reports, Tomlin has already drawn interest from several major media outlets as a potential on-air presence. The conversation picked up steam back in late December when Peter Schrager of ESPN suggested Tomlin would have options if he chose to step into television.

“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,” he said.

Fast forward to now, and those rumors have only intensified, with Fox Sports emerging as a potential frontrunner. Per reports, FOX has a real interest in Tomlin, especially with the network looking to fill a void following Jimmy Johnson’s retirement after 31 seasons on the show.

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“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.

So heading into 2026, the picture is fairly clear. After 19 seasons on the sidelines in Pittsburgh, Tomlin has options, but coaching isn’t one of them, at least for now. Either he stays away from the spotlight entirely, or he steps into a media role with FOX or another network. As for 2027, he might decide to return as a head coach.