As reported on Sunday, insider Adam Schefter painted an interesting trade scenario involving head coach-needy NFL organizations potentially calling the Pittsburgh Steelers’ front office to inquire about acquiring HC Mike Tomlin.
Fans clamoring for his departure are understandably excited, but to speculate on what a potential trade package might look like, we need to examine the history of previous head coach trades.
In 1970, the Baltimore Colts traded Don Shula to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a first-round draft pick.
In 1997, the New York Jets set a new precedent for head coach trades by sending first-, second-, third-, and fourth-round draft picks to acquire HC Bill Parcells from the New England Patriots.
Several more head coach trades also resulted in first-round draft selections, including those of Bill Belichick, Jon Gruden, and most recently, Sean Payton in 2023.
Tomlin’s perfect record of avoiding losing seasons could demand even more compensation from NFL organizations—but a 2025 first-, second-, and third-round draft pick package is a realistic starting point.
Should the Pittsburgh Steelers trade Tomlin away if the price is right, or if he is unable to get the Steel City their first playoff win since 2017?
