Mike Tomlin said more than three months after stepping down that his exit from Pittsburgh was driven by timing, perspective and the grind of leading a team that had fallen short in the postseason. NBC on Sunday officially announced that Tomlin will join Football Night in America as a studio analyst.
Tomlin, who coached his final game in Pittsburgh in January's AFC wild-card loss to the Texans, said the move came after a long stretch of reflection. Speaking to NBC's Maria Taylor during the network's NBA pregame show, he said, “It was probably not an overnight decision, but it’s probably not something I could articulate or share with people.”
He added that the job carried “a loneliness with leadership,” and said he believed it was the right moment for him personally and for the organization. Pittsburgh had not had much playoff success in recent years, he said, and veteran players such as Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt and Chris Boswell deserved the energy that comes with new leadership.
Tomlin's departure closes one of the NFL's longest and most durable coaching runs. Hired ahead of the 2007 season, he compiled a 193-114-2 regular-season record, never had a losing season and led the Steelers to the playoffs in 13 of his 19 seasons. He won eight AFC North titles, including last season, and tied Chuck Noll's franchise record for regular-season victories in his final home win at Acrisure Stadium.
But the late years of his tenure were defined by frustration. The Steelers lost in the AFC wild-card round to the Texans in January, extending Tomlin's playoff losing streak to seven straight games. He finished 8-12 in the postseason, a record that complicated his legacy even as he remained the league's longest-tenured coach and one of its most respected voices.
Tomlin said the NBC role would keep him close to the sport and the people in it, from players to coaches to executives. “I just thought it would be a great way to stay connected to the game and the awesome people in it,” he said, adding that he looked forward to working Sunday nights, traveling to different venues and sharing insight with fellow football lovers.
He also addressed the quarterback picture in Pittsburgh, predicting Aaron Rodgers would be the Steelers' starter this season. “Man, if you had a gun to my head, I’d say it’s (Aaron Rodgers),” Tomlin said, noting that Rodgers remains capable and “in really good shape.”
