Sean Payton Offers Candid Take on Stunning Mike Tomlin News

Mike Tomlin is one of Sean Payton's "close" friends.

Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin during the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Sean Payton has a lot on his plate right now, game-planning and preparing the Denver Broncos to host the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Saturday. But it's January, which is always a busy news month in the NFL relative to the head coach hiring cycle.

Out of the blue, the Pittsburgh Steelers entered the hiring fray on Tuesday, after 19-year head coach Mike Tomlin announced that he's stepping down from his post. The Tomlin news dropped a week after the Baltimore Ravens decided to move on from their 18-year head coach, John Harbaugh, a move that surprised Payton somewhat.

Payton addressed the Tomlin resignation after the Broncos' Tuesday practice.

“I heard that. First off, man, congratulations on an amazing… And I’m not going to assume his… But his run there, John Harbaugh’s run there. Those guys, the consistency and the staying power, the wins," Payton said. "Those guys are close friends, and that means two or three more coaches that I have to ask somebody where they are pre-game that I don’t recognize. But I heard about it on the field, so I haven’t talked to Mike."

Tomlin has his own hands full with all the fallout from his blockbuster decision. At some point, Payton will surely reach out to his friend, and that may have already happened since he was at the podium.

Tomlin's resignation echoes Payton's 2022 decision to step down after 16 years as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Payton spent the ensuing year in the media as a FOX Sports analyst before jumping back into the coaching fray in January 2023.

The Broncos hired Payton but had to trade with the Saints for his rights, sending a first- and second-round draft pick to the Bayou. 32 wins later, the Broncos got the good end of that deal. Maybe a similar fate awaits Tomlin. Maybe not.

"He’s a close friend. Anytime I get these black and yellow Jordans, he’s the same size as me. I send them to him," Payton said of Tomlin. "I’m like, ‘Man, I’d never wear these colors,’ but anyway, I wish him well. He’s a close friend, just as John is. It’s part of the game.”

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Tomlin's Amazing Career

Dec 9, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (left) looks at quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. | Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

Tomlin led the Steelers to two Super Bowl appearances, winning one. His Steelers teams did not post a losing record in the 19 years he coached them.

Now, the Hall-of-Fame quarterback consistency of Ben Roethlisberger was a big reason for Tomlin's success, but 'Big Ben' hasn't played since 2021. Tomlin led the Steelers to the playoffs in four of the five seasons since Big Ben retired, finding ways to skin that cat with multiple starting quarterbacks, the most recent of which was Aaron Rodgers.

Alas, the Steelers haven't won a playoff game since 2016, despite the excellent job Tomlin did to get them to the tournament more often than not. The Steelers have enjoyed phenomenal coaching stability as an organization over the years, and Tomlin's era was arguably the most impressive, if for no other reason than he never finished sub-.500.

Broncos' Assistants In the HC Sweepstakes

The AFC North will look very different in 2026, with the Steelers, Ravens, and Cleveland Browns all looking for a new head coach. Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has garnered a lot of interest on the head-coaching market, as has quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, and even special teams coach Darren Rizzi.

With so many head-coaching jobs being open across the NFL this year, it's going to be hard for Payton to keep his staff in tact. For now, though, Joseph says his head-coaching ambitions are on the "backburner" as he keeps his focus on the Broncos' defense and the enormous task of facing Josh Allen and the Bills.