Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin may have decided to retire for good from the coaching world, but the same cannot be said for his son, Dino Tomlin. Or at least that’s what everyone around Dino wants for the legendary coach’s son. The former wide receiver has yet to find his name on an NFL team roster after going undrafted last year. However, he’s made it clear that he will not be using his dad’s name to open any doors whatsoever.

“People have been in my comments like, you’re wasting all your nepotism,” Dino Tomlin said in a video posted on X, “like, you should just go into coaching. If I were coaching, I’d be just like Lane Kiffin. I’d be lying to players, I’d be f—g co-eds. I’d be f—g all.”

Dino Tomlin is the son of Mike Tomlin, the former Steelers head coach, and his wife, Kiya Tomlin. In a recent video, he called out people who want him to rely on his father’s legacy to break into the coaching world.

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Mike Tomlin recently retired after spending 19 years as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. During that run, he led the team to 13 playoff appearances, eight division titles, three AFC Championship Games, two Super Bowl appearances, and a Super Bowl XLIII win.

What’s also interesting is that Dino brought up Lane Kiffin, the current LSU head coach, who recently made headlines for abruptly leaving the Ole Miss Rebels, a move that reportedly didn’t sit well with some of his former players. However, Kiffin himself seems pleased with the decision.

“The opportunity at LSU, as I said before, is just different,” Kiffin said.

Kiffin’s decision to leave abruptly was reportedly tied to a $91 million deal.

“Just different really entails a lot and it’s why I just think it’s a really good phrase to because it comes up a lot. You’re just trying to explain to outsiders like it’s just different but that means a lot of things. That means Louisiana and the mindset of people here. I really enjoy, we had two junior days this weekend.”

“I really enjoy that, and that’s a different mindset.” Kiffin said, per Ole Hotty Toddy,  “But then also on that, the expectations, the great players that played here, the stadium, all of that is just different than other programs. We teach the recruits and the players, if you’re going to come here with the way that we do it here, it’s going to be really different.”

Kiffin’s father was the late legendary coach, Monte Kiffin, who served as a defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was widely recognized for framing the “Tampa 2” defensive scheme. Popularly known as a gridiron lifer, he also worked Monte also worked as a defensive analyst for his son at Ole Miss.

For his part, although Dino is clear about his stance on coaching, he did try his luck in the NFL by attending the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie minicamp.

Dino Tomlin’s battle to carve his own NFL path

​For Dino Tomlin, the journey to the big league has been less about family ties and more about putting in the hard work to prove he belongs.

His college career was more of a slow grind than a breakout story. Splitting his time between the Maryland Terrapins and the Boston College Eagles, the wide receiver never really saw big numbers.

Over 51 games, he recorded 40 receptions for 552 yards and did not find the end zone. Still, what he lacked in stats, he made up for in the little things that coaches notice. Scouts and draft experts consistently pointed to his high football IQ, strong work ethic, and competitive mindset.

He showed some of his potential on Pro Day, where he put up some nice numbers, including a 4.45-second 40-yard dash and a 38-inch vertical jump.

Although he went undrafted in 2025, his father, Mike Tomlin, chose not to bring him to the Steelers, putting the team’s needs ahead of any family connection. Instead, Dino earned a rookie minicamp tryout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers alongside Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders’ son, Shilo Sanders. However, it did not lead to a roster spot right away.

Whether he eventually fights his way onto an NFL roster, explores opportunities in a spring league, or follows his father into coaching, Dino Tomlin’s football journey is still very much unfolding, and it is definitely one to keep an eye on.