Mike Tomlin Walks Out On Question About His Future So Is He Walking Away From Steelers?
The question was only halfway out of the reporter's mouth Monday evening and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin obviously knew it was coming.
"Mike, you have a year left on your contract ..." the reporter began.
And that's when Tomlin walked out of his postgame news conference. He spent approximately three minutes talking about the Steelers' 31-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills in a wild card playoff game. He wasn't about to spend one second discussing his future with the team.
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Tomlin Future Most Important Steelers Issue
Except that Tomlin's future is one of the significant issues the Steelers must address in the looming offseason that begins now. It's probably the most significant issue.
And to believe national reporters the past few weeks, Tomlin might have walked off the field as the team's coach for the last time.
But even after all this -- Tomlin avoiding the topic, and multiple sourced reports -- it's still extremely hard to believe Tomlin is done in Pittsburgh. He's coming back in 2024.
But this could come with a caveat. The Steelers, you see, have to make it hard for Tomlin to walk away in the coming weeks. The ball is in their court. Simple as that.
Why?
Because Tomlin is indeed going to take some time for himself and with his family. And at some point his agent will approach the Steelers about their intentions to extend Tomlin's contract which has one year remaining.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 16: Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II looks on before the NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts on December 16, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Steelers Will Have To Give Tomlin Big Raise
So it'll be up to the Steelers to come to the negotiating table with a plan for keeping Tomlin in the fold. That fold, by the way, would have to reward Tomlin by making him one the highest paid coaches in the NFL.
Notice this doesn't say the highest paid. The Steelers, still a family owned business, have never been about that with players or coaches. But the team that is always competitive has to be, well, competitive in showing Tomlin he must stay.
So, yes, the Steelers have to come with more money.
This is where some people are wondering what happened to the rumors Tomlin might be fired? Those were whispered when the Steelers were languishing with a 7-8 record in the middle of December.
Then the club rallied, winning its final three games. And the club made the playoffs. And, poof, no more whispered rumors.
Truth is there was never really any fire behind that smoke.
BALTIMORE, MA - CIRCA 1970's: Head Coach Chuck Noll of the Pittsburgh Steelers on the field watching his team warm-up prior to the start of a mid circa 1970's NFL football game against the Baltimore Colts at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Noll was the head coach of the Steelers from 1969-91. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Rooney Family Does Not Fire Head Coaches
There was zero question about Tomlin getting canned, considering the Steelers are an organization that simply does not fire coaches. Chuck Noll retired in 1991 and Bill Cowher resigned in 2006.
And Tomlin has followed both Hall of Famers with a HOF-worthy career of his own. So there is virtually no scenario in which the Steelers were going to fire him.
But now the question is whether Tomlin fires the Steelers if they do not come to the negotiating table with what he deems a worthy salary offer.
The money, you see, is important because Tomlin and the entire organization face some tough issues this offseason. Very tough.
If Tomlin gets his big raise and stays, he has to figure out how to turn his quarterback situation from a liability to an asset.
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills scores a 52-yard touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Steelers Have To Find Way To Overcome Great QBs
That looming work has been on the horizon for months, with Kenny Pickett fighting injuries and sitting the last few weeks while Mason Rudolph became the coach's pick to start key games including this playoff meeting against Buffalo's Josh Allen.
So what next?
Rudolph is a free agent. And Tomlin knows he needs outstanding quarterback play to be competitive in his own division much less in his conference. The Steelers, remember, play six games every year against Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson.
They play in a conference with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Aaron Rodgers, Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Stroud.
Think what you will about those names but it's hard to argue Pickett is better than most of them. Maybe impossible to say.
So the Steelers have to either upgrade from Pickett or upgrade Pickett. Neither feels like an easy assignment.
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers carries the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Mason Rudolph Becomes A Free Agent
It might start with Tomlin having to find a star offensive guru type assistant. The Steelers, you'll recall, stuck with Matt Canada perhaps too long as the offensive coordinator before firing him.
Now they need a new coordinator who can revamp the offense and perhaps milk all the productivity Pickett has to give out of him.
The club could also go find someone else to play quarterback. Good luck finding a franchise quarterback in free agency or near the bottom of the draft's first round.
None of that is an easy assignment. None of that makes coaching the entire rest of the team an easy assignment.
That's why Tomlin has things to think about now. And why he wants the Steelers to prove they understand the coach facing all those issues deserves a lot of appreciation -- obviously in the form of a big salary.