Steelers eye new coach after Mike Tomlin’s unexpected exit, team president says
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Mike Tomlin’s decision to leave following a blowout loss in the AFC Wild Card round has left the Steelers on an unconventional coaching search.
In his statement Tuesday, Tomlin did not give a reason for his departure, but thanked the company’s owner, Art Rooney II, and the late Ambassador Rooney for their trust over nearly two decades.
Tomlin concluded: “As this chapter comes to an end, my respect and love for the Pittsburgh Steelers will never change. I am excited for the future of this organization and will forever be grateful to have coached in Pittsburgh.” declaration.
Rooney II and Omar Khan will oversee the coaching search, and Rooney called Tomlin’s decision an unexpected but not surprising one.
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Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II and head coach Mike Tomlin before their game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 23, 2018; New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chuck Cook/USA TODAY Sports)
“It was his decision and I will say I wasn’t shocked, but I wasn’t expecting that conversation yesterday either,” Rooney said. “… I was definitely willing to give it another go with Mike next year, and that’s what I was waiting to talk about yesterday, but it went in another direction.”
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Tomlin has two years left on his contract with the Steelers, and any team looking to hire him before 2027 would have to compensate Pittsburgh. Rooney acknowledged the slim possibility of Tomlin coaching him later this year and offered additional insight into his departure, saying it was related to his personal life.
Pittsburgh Steelers owner and team president Art Rooney II looks on before the game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 22, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
“Mike has stated that he does not expect to coach in the near future,” Rooney said. he said. “I think he wants to spend time with his family and do things he hasn’t been able to do in recent years. So if something like this comes up, we’ll deal with it when it comes up, but it doesn’t seem to be on his radar.”
Rooney said he, Khan and other key decision-makers would take an open-minded approach to the rare coaching search.
“I was involved in a series of investigations that went all the way up to the technical director. [Bill] Cowher and GM searches,” Rooney said, recalling past coaching search experiences. “I think if there’s one thing I’ve learned about searches, it’s to keep an open mind. We hired Mike for his first interview, we certainly didn’t expect him to be our head coach. “I think you go through the process, be diligent, and hopefully you’ll date the right guy.”
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (R) stands on the sidelines during the first half of the NFL wild-card playoff game against the Houston Texans on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo)
When asked about the qualities he would look for in candidates, Rooney said leadership was at the top of the list.
“I think there are a lot of things that go into being a successful manager,” Rooney said. “No. 1 in my mind is leadership, and I trust that person to be able to get in front of the team every day and get their attention and motivate them to do the job they do. That’s the most important thing.”
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The Steelers, who secured the AFC North and took the last place in the NFL play-offs by beating the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18, scored only six points against the Houston Texans on Monday.
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