It’s been something you could set your watch on for the better part of five years: Talk has started about whether or not the Pittsburgh Steelers will move on from Mike Tomlin this time of year. However, those talks have largely been just speculation more than anything, and the Steelers themselves never showed any real interest in moving on from the longest-tenured head coach in major American sports.
Until now.
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The Steelers have been connected to multiple head coaching candidates over the last week. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted that Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula is a name to watch in Pittsburgh.
“The Steelers, Ravens and Bills have generated conversation in recent weeks,” Breer writes. “Is there any reality to this? I don’t think these are layoffs. But there are some thoughts that Mike Tomlin might consider a reboot, with Pittsburgh’s roster potentially going through one soon as well, and take a year or two on television before returning to the sideline. And, interestingly, Shula’s name has been connected to the Steelers, in case there is an opening.”
Additionally, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that the Steelers had internal conversations about possibly hiring Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman before committing to returning to school.
“Although Freeman ultimately announced that he will stay at Notre Dame, there is a strong belief around the league that this will not be the last time his name is connected to opportunities in the NFL,” Russini writes. “The Giants, Titans and Browns all had internal discussions about Freeman, as did the Pittsburgh Steelers (in case longtime coach Mike Tomlin decided to walk away).”
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This is the first time I can remember that insiders have registered names they think could replace Tomlin; that’s not a coincidence. It’s not to say that Tomlin will be 100 percent gone in 2026, but it’s very clear that the Steelers are preparing for his departure. Things like this don’t come to light by accident and it’s certainly something we should monitor in the coming weeks.
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