Earlier this year Mike Tomlin announced his plans to step down as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after nearly 20 years with the team.
“After much thought and reflection, I have decided to step down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers,” he said after nearly two decades in charge of the team. Despite not having a losing season in his coaching career, a lack success in the playoffs eventually doomed his tenure.
It didn’t take long for the coach, known for his sound bites, to land a job in the NFL media space, becoming an instant star on NBC’s NFL coverage.
But will he be lured back into the league?
Mike Tomlin’s Decision Could Spark 2 Firings
NFL insider Mark Maske revealed Tomlin “is expected to be in extremely high demand as an NFL head coaching candidate in the coming months, but it’s not considered automatic that he would leave his broadcasting job at NBC to accept a big-money coaching offer.”
The longtime Steelers head coach’s new contract with NBC would allow him to leave for an NFL team, but not another network.
One high ranking NFL executive told Maske that one or two teams would fire their respective coaches if Tomlin were back on the coaching market.
““He will clearly be at the top of the list for any team that has an opening,” the official said. “If he’s willing to come back, that could cause a team or two to create an opening. It’s a call that you have to make if you’re looking for a coach.”
Among the worst teams in the NFL right now are the Los Angeles Chargers, who are still looking for their first win of the season. While Jim Harbaugh went 11-6 in each of his first two seasons, the Chargers would need to finish the regular season with 11 straight wins to reach that mark.
If the team continues to slide, Tomlin could be an intriguing option. The New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers could also come calling.
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