Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Tomlin lands NBC role on ‘Football Night in America’ broadcast

Mike Tomlin is stepping down as Pittsburgh Steelers coach after the 2025 season to be with his family, travel and relieve stress. It looks like he’s had enough free time and is returning to the NFL in a different role.

A source close to Tomlin confirmed to OutKick on Tuesday morning that Tomlin will appear on NBC’s “Football Night in America” ​​ahead of NBC’s Sunday Night Football broadcast.

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The Athletic was first to report Tomlin’s impending hire.

It’s clear that Tomlin, 54, will be hired. He will basically replace Tony Dungy, who announced after the season that he was off the air after 17 years.

HALL OF FAMER TONY DUNGY ANNOUNCED ON HIS PRE-GAME SHOW THAT NBC WAS LETTING HIM GO AFTER 17 SEASONS

So why is Tomlin considered a natural candidate?

Tomlin is a Super Bowl-winning coach.

In his 19 seasons as head coach of the Steelers, he has never been undefeated.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) leave the field after an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens on December 7, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)

He clearly understands the inner workings of a successful team and how NFL players react to situations and how to manage those players.

And he has a way with words; check.

Here are some examples of Tomlin’s ability to turn phrases that have become his trademark as a coaching achievement:

• “We want volunteers, not hostages”
• “We’re not trying to win a preseason game. We’re trying to build a team.”
• “We’re not in the business of collecting interesting games. We’re in the business of winning games.”
• “Style points are for figure skating.”
• “I became comfortable with uncomfortable things.”

Tomlin, too, has begun to refer to his team as a “collective” in recent years. Then other coaches began to do the same.

Tomlin is expected to at least appear on the pregame show and halftime set of host Maria Taylor, former Cowboys coach Jason Garrett and Devin McCourty.

CBS sports broadcaster Bill Cowher before the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on Nov. 16, 2025. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

It is unclear how long this relationship will last.

The source said Tomlin’s contract will include a clause allowing him to return to coaching if he so chooses.

But a network executive noted Tuesday morning that the coaches joined the media with the expectation that they would eventually step back into coaching, but never left because the pressure of television was not equal to coaching in the NFL and the money was so good.

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Bill Cowher is an example of this.

Like Tomlin, Cowher became a network studio analyst after his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers ended.