At this time next season, Mike Tomlin could be coaching in his final games with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His contract expires at the end of the 2024 season and has yet to be renewed. Given the situation the team has been in this season and the lack of playoff success since 2016, it might just be the time for new blood.
Some Steelers fans have wanted Tomlin gone for years, but the Chargers firing Brandon Staley after L.A. got obliterated 63-21 by the then 5-8 Las Vegas Raiders cast a bright spotlight on the job he’s done for the team in 2023. Not having his squad prepared for the lowly Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots, blown timeouts early in the halves, dumb pre-snap penalties and miserable play in all three phases of games are just a handful of things Tomlin has had a hand in.
Tomlin’s current deal, which pays him an estimated $10 million, expires after the 2024 season. He is the second-longest tenured coach with the same team in the NFL, behind only Bill Belichick. From the sounds of it, Belichick’s days in New England are numbered.
In July, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the Steelers plan to take the same approach as when they gave him his 2021 three-year extension — wait until the offseason to re-up. But a lot has happened (or hasn’t happened) between then and now.
Though chances are slim that they will, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko recently put forth some potential names who could replace Tomlin should the Steelers wish to move on after the season.
1
Ben Johnson [Detroit Lions OC]
2
Brian Johnson [Philadelphia Eagles OC]
3
Frank Smith [Miami Dolphins OC]
4
Brian Flores [Minnesota Vikings DC]
5
Mike Macdonald [Ravens DC]
6
Shane Bowen [Tennessee Titans DC]
7
Chris Horton [Baltimore Ravens STC]
8
Frank Ross [Houston Texans STC]
9
Raymond "Bubba" Ventrone [Cleveland Browns STC]
10
Jim Harbaugh [Michigan HC]
