Is Mike Tomlin leaving Steelers for TV or for another NFL coaching job?

Pat Leonard, New York Daily News on Jan 13, 2026

Published in Football

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NEW YORK — Mike Tomlin informed the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday that he is stepping down as the franchise’s head coach after 19 years in the Steel City.

Now the question is whether Tomlin, 53, prefers to take a TV job or keep coaching in the NFL.

Tomlin is believed to have a Fox contract waiting for him to sign if he chooses to take a breather from the league’s daily grind.

He already has a Super Bowl championship (2008), two AFC championships and a career 193-114-2 (.628) regular-season record to his name. He just closed his Steelers tenure with three consecutive 10-7 seasons.

He may decide he has nothing left to prove.

On the other hand, Tomlin could jump right back into coaching. Some league sources believe that would be his preference, assuming the right job is available.

A team will have to give the Steelers trade compensation to hire Tomlin immediately, since he is still under contract with the organization. And there may be enough demand for that to happen.

The Miami Dolphins quickly were linked to having heavy interest in Tomlin.

NFL insider Josina Anderson reported that Tomlin and former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh both are “at the top” of the Dolphins’ “wish list” — and said Tomlin has told people he would prefer to coach in a “warm-weather environment, if it fits.”

Tomlin also worked for five seasons (2001-05) as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defensive backs coach. So the Bucs could do an about-face on head coach Todd Bowles, or Tomlin could work in TV for a year and wait to see if that job comes open.

The family ties of the Steelers’ owning Rooney family and the Giants’ owning Mara family could offer a natural pivot for Tomlin in switching jobs to another long-tenured organization with tradition.

Or the Packers could pursue him if they ultimately don’t come to an agreement with Matt LaFleur.

It will be fascinating to see if Tomlin’s decision to step down leads other NFL teams, like Green Bay, to fire their head coach in the hopes of landing him.

There are now nine head coaching vacancies in the 32-team NFL, and believe it or not, the carousel might not be done spinning.