Mike Tomlin might not be long for the Steelers, but that doesn’t mean he’ll bolt to a different team.
While the Steelers are fighting for their playoff lives, speculation has begun that the losing coach of Sunday night’s AFC North-deciding game against the Ravens could be relieved of their duties.
That is where things get complicated, and while interest would be robust from teams hopeful to land a coach with a winning track record, ESPN analyst Peter Schrager speculated that Tomlin’s ideal future is actually in front of a TV camera.
“Having worked at Fox, having worked at NFL Network, and now here at ESPN, there’s a chair waiting — whether it be in the booth or on one of these wonderful, warm, weather-controlled sets — for Mike Tomlin to make a lot of money talking football if he so wishes for a year,” Schrager said on ESPN on Wednesday.
“Or, he can pick his spot of open, vacant jobs.”
Tomlin, 53, has been among the hottest names for just about any head coaching vacancy over the past five years as the Steelers continually find themselves in playoff contention but failing to win the big games when they matter.
He famously said, “there isn’t a booster with a big enough blank check” when asked about potential interest in the USC head coaching job in 2021.
Al Michaels previously explained that Tomlin would be a “can’t-miss” NFL TV analyst thanks to being “unbelievably well-read.”
The Steelers (9-7) have a date on tap with the Ravens on “Sunday Night Football,” which essentially amounts to the AFC North championship game as the winner earns a playoff berth while the loser’s season ends.
John Harbaugh is in a similar spot as Tomlin, with both coaches having fallen short of very high expectations for talented teams up until this time.
Should either coach become available on what is known as “Black Monday,” when coaches are relieved of their duties at the conclusion of the regular season, many teams will likely come calling.
The Giants, Titans and more will have openings this offseason for a new coach.
