Are We Sure Mike Tomlin Would Even Be Good On TV?
“Mike Tomlin can reset football as a form of entertainment on television in a way that no one has since John Madden," Wilbon said.
The overwhelming expectation is that Mike Tomlin, who resigned from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday, will move into television and excel at it.
PTI co-host Michael Wilbon compared Tomlin to John Madden, who is universally recognized as the greatest coach-turned-broadcaster.
"Mike Tomlin can reset football as a form of entertainment on television in a way that no one has since John Madden," Wilbon said.
Maybe.
Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on January 4, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
It’s true that Tomlin projects to be a dynamic television talent. He commands a room and speaks with sharp, vivid insight, as he regularly demonstrates during his weekly press conferences, where his metaphorical catchphrases are known as Tomlin-isms.
Combined with his résumé, it’s easy to imagine every major network pursuing him this offseason. On Tuesday, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport even suggested Fox could be the favorite.
However, there’s a long list of former players and coaches once expected to thrive on television who ultimately didn’t. Joe Montana’s short-lived stint at NBC remains one of the most notable examples. But there are other cases. Jason Witten struggled mightily on Monday Night Football, often stumbling over pacing and clarity of analysis. There were high hopes that Ray Lewis would become the Charles Barkley of the NFL, but he never found his rhythm within the tight time constraints of television during his stops at ESPN and FS1.
The list goes on. We all assumed Drew Brees would be a natural fit in the booth at NBC. Instead, he flamed out quickly, though he has since improved at Fox.
There are also examples of redemption through the right format. Shannon Sharpe wasn’t particularly strong as a pregame analyst at CBS, yet he became a star in the debate world alongside Skip Bayless and later with his own podcast. Similarly, Richard Sherman has struggled as part of Amazon’s Thursday Night Football coverage, but his podcast has performed relatively well.
Coaches, on balance, have fared better than players when transitioning to television. Still, commanding a podium or a locker room is not the same as owning a segment.
Mike Tomlin. Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Assuming Tomlin ends up as a studio analyst rather than in the booth, he’ll need to develop timing and chemistry with his co-hosts and learn to make his points in seconds, not minutes. He’ll also have to navigate the politics of criticism, maintaining relationships with league figures, especially owners who could consider hiring him again in a year or two.
In 2022, Sean Payton spent a year at Fox before taking the Denver Broncos job. Some reporters have suggested Tomlin could follow a similar path. Payton was good on television, but his sharp, sometimes prickly demeanor didn’t always mesh with Fox’s laid-back, camaraderie-driven cast. It takes a sense of humor to fit in with Terry Bradshaw, Michael Strahan, Howie Long, and now Rob Gronkowski. Does Tomlin have that? If not, he might be a better fit for the more measured tone of NBC, CBS, or ESPN.
As someone who regularly took the under on the Steelers’ win total in recent years, we know better than to bet against Mike Tomlin. That said, let’s slow down on the John Madden comparisons.
Can we at least make sure he’s serviceable as an analyst first?