After months of speculation about his future in Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin will remain head coach of the Steelers.
Tomlin, who had one more year on his deal, agreed to a three-year extension with the Steelers that runs through the 2027 season.
At his end-of-season press conference in mid-January, Tomlin told reporters that his passion for coaching had “intensified” and that he expected to receive an extension this offseason.
“I expect to be back, and I would imagine that those contract things are going to run their course,” Tomlin said, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “Art [Rooney II] and I have a really good, transparent relationship. We communicate continually often. I don’t imagine it’s going to be an issue, and I imagine it’s going to get done in a timely manner at the appropriate time, but my mindset is to coach his football team.”
Rooney also told Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the franchise intended to extend Tomlin’s contract.
Tomlin’s future in Pittsburgh had been the subject of speculation after he walked off the podium when asked about his contract during his postgame press conference following the team’s Wild Card Weekend loss to the Buffalo Bills. Ever since two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 campaign, the Steelers have gone 19-15 over the past two seasons.
Tomlin has been head coach of the Steelers since the 2007 season. He is the NFL’s longest-tenured head coach following Bill Belichick’s departure from the New England Patriots this offseason after 24 seasons.
The 51-year-old is 173-100-2 in his 17 seasons as head coach of the Steelers. He is also 8-10 in the playoffs, and he led the franchise to a Super Bowl title during the 2008 season and an AFC championship during the 2010 campaign.
Much of Tomlin’s success came during the Roethlisberger era, but the Steelers have new hope under center with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields this year.