Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh Could Be Top TV Free Agents After Week 18
Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh are the two longest-tenured coaches in the NFL. Tomlin has led the Steelers for 18 seasons, while Harbaugh has coached the rival Ravens for 17.
This Sunday, the Steelers face the Ravens in a Week 18 do-or-die matchup for the AFC North title. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the losing coach could leave the NFL for a job in television.
"They will have a big say," Schefter told Pat McAfee on Monday, referring to Tomlin and Harbaugh’s futures. "One of them may go in there and say, ‘It’s been a great run. Might be time to go try something else.’ Whether that’s TV or another job somewhere else, those things are possible. They’re within the realm of possibility for the wide range of outcomes after Week 18."
Both fan bases have grown increasingly frustrated with their teams’ early playoff exits over the past decade. It’s not that Tomlin and Harbaugh aren’t elite coaches. They are. However, both appear to have their franchises stuck in a cycle of mediocrity: good enough to reach the postseason, rarely good enough to win it all.
Nothing frustrates NFL teams more than being stuck in the middle, and Tomlin and Harbaugh have kept the Steelers and Ravens there.
For what it’s worth, Harbaugh has coached more talented rosters in the past decade than Tomlin. Harbaugh has Lamar Jackson, whom the media continues to compare to Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. Tomlin has worked with the remains of Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers.
Still, Schefter’s comments mark the first time a credible NFL reporter has suggested either coach could actually leave. Both coaches would have plenty of options in the media, especially with the NFL now partnering with seven major broadcast outlets.
Yes, seven. ESPN and ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Netflix.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 06: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens shake hands after the Steelers defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 17-10, at M&T Bank Stadium on January 06, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
ESPN in particular could use the upgrade. There could be no bigger improvement for Monday Night Football than replacing the racially-obsessed buffoon Ryan Clark with Tomlin or Harbaugh – or anyone who does not require a monthly apology tour for their on-air antics.
Consider the Sean Payton route. After stepping away from coaching, Payton worked as a studio analyst for Fox Sports in 2022 before returning to the NFL in 2023. Tomlin or Harbaugh could easily follow that path, spending a year or two on television while waiting for the right coaching opportunity.
Who knows. If the Chiefs were to miss the postseason next year, a job coaching Patrick Mahomes could become available. Sean McDermott’s seat in Buffalo is not getting any cooler, and Green Bay could be another possibility if expectations are not met.
In reality, the losing coach Sunday might end up in a better long-term position than the winner, especially if the AFC North champion’s postseason run ends early once again.
Related: It's Finally Time To Put Mike Tomlin On The Hot Seat | Bobby Burack