Mike Tomlin remains ‘on go’ for the Steelers until 2024, and likely beyond.
PITTSBURGH (AP)— Mike Tomlin is still “on the go” in Pittsburgh.
Both in 2024 and possibly after.
The NFL’s longest-tenured head coach confirmed Thursday that he intends to return to the Steelers for an 18th season, dismissing talk that he was on the verge of burnout and considering a step back.
Mike Tomlin remains ‘on go’ for the Steelers until 2024, and likely beyond.
PITTSBURGH (AP)— Mike Tomlin is still “on the go” in Pittsburgh.
Both in 2024 and possibly after.
The NFL’s longest-tenured head coach confirmed Thursday that he intends to return to the Steelers for an 18th season, dismissing talk that he was on the verge of burnout and considering a step back.
While Tomlin believes the Steelers have cut the gap on the teams playing in the divisional round this weekend, he also acknowledges that it doesn’t matter.
“It all sucks,” Tomlin admitted. “It’s not about degrees of awful. Everything sucks. “I would rather be working.”
Instead, Tomlin will spend the next several weeks interviewing for an offensive coordinator, who he says will come from outside the club, and preparing for the NFL draft and free agency.
Tomlin is approaching the final year of a contract deal signed in 2021. When asked about it shortly after the Steelers’ loss to the Bills, he stormed out rather than respond. Three days later, Tomlin conceded, “I could have handled the situation better than I did,” but thought it was not the time or place to address his future.
A future in Pittsburgh. He declined to comment on whether he will seek a multi-year contract from team president Art Rooney II, but he is also not concerned that the length (or lack thereof) of a new contract will be a sticking issue.
“I imagine it is going to get done in a timely manner at the appropriate time,” he added. “But my mindset is to coach this football team, certainly.”
Tomlin’s presence may be one of the few certainties in an offseason for a club with a lot of questions to address in the months ahead.
The biggest one is at quarterback, where Kenny Pickett struggled as much as he sparkled during his first full season as starter. Pickett only threw six touchdowns in 12 games before requiring surgery to heal his right ankle in early December. The 2022 first-round pick recovered, but spent the last few weeks watching former third-stringer Mason Rudolph lead a late push that brought the Steelers into the playoffs.
Tomlin is “extremely confident in Pickett” and lauds the intangibles he brings to the table. However, as he enters his third season, Pickett must begin to demonstrate significant growth.
“We acknowledge that it is a huge year for him,” Tomlin added, stretching out the word “huge” as he spoke. “But I’m also excited to see him wear that part of it because I know how he’s wired and made. I’m looking forward to watching him fight it.”
Rudolph finished 3-1 as a starter, passing for five touchdowns and only one interception. He is also set to become a free agent in March, but Tomlin has said the organization is interested in bringing Rudolph back to compete with Pickett next summer.
“We’re less speculative about (Rudolph’s) capabilities because there is evidence of it and evidence of it under (tough) circumstances,” he said.
Backup Mitch Trubisky, who struggled in relief of Pickett and will be counted against the salary limit for $8.3 million, is unlikely to be included. While the Steelers may bring in a seasoned quarterback from outside the organization to compete, Pittsburgh has a lot invested in Pickett and has to know in 2024 if he’s “the guy” or if it’s time to move on.
Who calls the plays will have a big impact on Pickett’s career. After promoting from within for an offensive coordinator in 2018 and again in 2021, the Steelers will turn elsewhere for someone to revitalize an offense that has placed in the lowest third of the NFL in terms of points scored four of the last five seasons.
While production increased in the closing weeks after Matt Canada was fired in November, interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner and interim play caller Mike Sullivan are not being considered.
“I want us to be versatile and dynamic,” Tomlin stated. “Obviously, we need to score more points.” I want to be able to keep defenders off balance. I want to use all of the skill that we have at our disposal.”
Tomlin’s mission is still to help the Steelers find out how to win another title, an emotionally and physically exhausting endeavor he believes he can handle nearly two decades after Pittsburgh pulled him out of relative obscurity and handed him the keys to one of the NFL’s flagship clubs.
There have been a few lows over the years, but not as many highs as he would prefer. And the older he gets, the more disappointed he is that the season does not finish with a confetti blizzard at the Super Bowl.
“Sometimes I don’t want to move past (the disappointment),” he told me. “Sometimes all I want to do is be here for a minute and try to improve. And that’s probably where I am right now, as I stand here.”
