A massive 13 playoff appearances in 19 years, and yet, the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ head coach, Mike Tomlin, decided to step down from his position. Statements from players, not only from the team but from the league and even beyond the sport’s boundaries, have been coming in to thank the HC for a commendable journey. However, the latest admission from the team’s former quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, gave an emotional twist to the story, highlighting not just an athletic partnership but a friendship that spanned 15 years.

“Coach T, we got to spend 15 years together, and through the ups & downs it was a great ride,” Roethlisberger said. “Thank you for all you did for me and this team, and this community! You are a legend, and one of the greatest to do it! Here is to the next chapter – whatever that looks like.”

Mike Tomlin’s shocking decison came a day after the Steelers lost 30–6 to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. This extended a long stretch without a playoff win and therefore prompted Tomlin to decide it was the right time to move on. Throughout his career he said coaching the Steelers was an honour and thanked the team, staff, and fans for their support.

Tomlin’s time in Pittsburgh was marked by consistent success. He never had a losing season in 19 years and finished with 193 regular-season wins, tying the record for the most in Steelers history. The Steelers made 13 playoff appearances, won eight AFC North division titles, and captured a Super Bowl victory in 2009 (Super Bowl XLIII) under his leadership overall.

Ben Roethlisberger, on the other hand, started his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2004 when he was drafted by the team and played 18 seasons with them until he retired after the 2021 season. He played 15 of those 18 seasons under head coach Mike Tomlin. During that time, Tomlin helped Roethlisberger and the Steelers with competitiveness, and together they won a Super Bowl (Super Bowl XLIII in the 2008 season). While Roethlisberger’s recent comments reflected their friendship, the fact that it came after the QB’s suggestion of giving up made it confusing.

“Maybe it’s a clean house time” – Ben Roethlisberger makes a shocking admission about Mike Tomlin

Mike Tomlin’s exit from the Pittsburgh Steelers may seem to have affected many, but several entities, including Ben Roethlisberger, actually stepped forward to ask for it. Just weeks before Tomlin’s decision to voluntarily step down from his role, Roethlisberger pressed on the fact that maybe it was time for the HC to consider an exit. Clarifying no hate for the coach’s potential, he added that both Tomlin and the Steelers need new areas to improve.

“Maybe it’s a clean-house time. Maybe it’s time,” Roethlisberger said, as reported by NBC sports. “I like Coach Tomlin. I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin. But maybe it’s best for him, too. Maybe a fresh start for him is what’s best. Whether that’s in the pros, maybe go be Penn State’s head coach. You know what he would do in Penn State? He would probably go win national championships. Because he’s a great recruiter.”

With several HC openings, including the Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Tomlin has several options to resume his coaching career. However, there could be a possibility for the coach to enter a new line of work. Industry sources suggest that a transition to major television broadcasting could be one of the most intriguing possibilities on the table. Several networks, including FOX, ESPN, NBC, CBS, and Amazon Prime Video, are reportedly possible contenders for the 53-year-old former coach to join their NFL coverage teams. However, Tomlin has not publicly confirmed his next move yet.

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