Mike Tomlin Stepping Down As Steelers' Head Coach Sparks Fierce Reactions
The end of a legendary run.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have announced that head coach Mike Tomlin has decided to step down after 19 seasons. The news comes the day after the Steelers were blown out at home by the Houston Texans 30-6 in the AFC Wild Card round.
Rumors of Tomlin and the Steelers parting ways circulated for a large chunk of the season, making the news less of a surprise, but still a bit of a shock to the NFL world given he spent nearly two decades in charge in Pittsburgh.
"I am extremely grateful to Mike for all the hard work, dedication and success we have shared over the last 19 years," a statement from team president Art Rooney II read. "It is hard for me to put into words the level of respect and appreciation I have for Coach Tomlin. He guided the franchise to our sixth Super Bowl championship and made the playoffs 13 times during his tenure, including winning the AFC North eight times in his career. His track record of never having a losing season in 19 years will likely never be duplicated."
With Tomlin out in Pittsburgh, three of the four teams in the AFC North are now without a head coach, with the Cincinnati Bengals being the outlier, having opted, at least up to this point, to hang onto Zac Taylor.
Tomlin will leave the Steelers with an overall coaching record of 193-114, a Super Bowl XLIII ring, and another Super Bowl appearance in 2010. With Pittsburgh having not won a playoff game since the 2016 campaign, this offseason felt as good a time as any for the sides to split.