With a rout of the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers may have saved their season.
Pittsburgh is 8-7 on the season and in a four-way tie for the last AFC playoff place coming into Week 17.
The backdrop here is the ongoing speculation over Tomlin’s future in Pittsburgh.
Earlier on Sunday, Fox NFL insider Jay Glazer reported that numerous teams across the NFL are hoping that the Steelers may move their long-time head coach. “All I am telling you is that Mike Tomlin’s name has been brought up an awful lot lately,” Glazer said.
This follows another rumor that Pittsburgh planned to offer Tomlin a contract extension during the offseason.
It’s not surprising that we’re hearing conflicting reports about Tomlin. He has been the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2007, making him the NFL’s second-longest serving head coach after Bill Belichick. If Tomlin stays with the Steelers, he’ll likely become the team’s longest-tenured coach, with Belichick seemingly playing out his final season in New England.
Continuity on the sidelines has been the name of the game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In fact, the Steelers have only had three head coaches since 1969.
It remains to be seen whether this will change in the future. Some believe that the Steelers’ management is dissatisfied with the organization’s path.
Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since Tomlin took over in 2016. They’ve gone 26-22-1 since the start of the 2021 NFL season.
The Las Vegas Raiders, Carolina Panthers, and Los Angeles Chargers have all sacked their head coaches this season. All three could work for Mike Tomlin.
Former Steelers minority owner David Tepper is the current Panthers owner. He must want to make a big impression. Tepper’s hands-on approach, on the other hand, might not appeal to someone like Tomlin.
Related: Mike Tomlin trade possibilities
The Patriots, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, and New Orleans Saints are also anticipated to have available head coaching positions after the 2023 season.
There will be no shortage of possibilities for Tomlin if the head coach and the Steelers decide to divorce this winter.
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