Mike Tomlin Has Been Linked to the Buccaneers. Here's The Reality

Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has some ties to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But could he end up coming back to the region to coach in 2027?

In a recent article, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report linked the Buccaneers to Mike Tomlin as a potential landing spot in 2027, should Tomlin decide to come out of retirement and return to coaching.

"If Tampa Bay misses out on the postseason in consecutive years, Bowles may be on the way out, and Tomlin could be on the way back to where his pro coaching career started in 2001 on former Buccaneers head coach Tony Dungy's staff," Moton wrote.

Currently, Tomlin is taking a role in sports broadcasting, but could he make a return to the NFL, and could it be with the Buccaneers? Let's break this down.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin walks off the field after his team fell 30-6 to the Houston Texans during the NFL Wild Card game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on January 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Mike Tomlin to the Bucs?

It's not hard to see why Tomlin is being linked to the Buccaneers. Current Bucs head coach Todd Bowles hasn't been able to quiet the doubters yet, as he has posted a 36-36 record for the Buccaneers including the playoffs, which includes Bowles teams going 1-3 in the playoffs and having two 8-9 seasons in four years.

Meanwhile, Tomlin exhibits the exact coach the Buccaneers look for in the hiring process — a big-name coach who has a vast amount of experience and a championship pedigree. Tomlin fits this bill, as he has never had a losing season as a head coach and has a very impressive resume with a 193-114-2 record and a Super Bowl XLIII win.

Oct 19, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NBC Sports commentator Tony Dungy after the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tomlin also has a history with the Buccaneers, as he was the defensive backs coach for the team from 2001 to 2005 under Tony Dungy and then Jon Gruden before he left to be the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator in 2006 and the Steelers' head coach in 2007.

Even Tomlin coming out of retirement to join the Bucs would be ironic, as it would not be the first time the team would need a coach to come back to the NFL to join their organization. The team did the same thing with Bruce Arians in 2019, and that decision eventually landed them Tom Brady and their second Super Bowl championship.

Aug 28, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles looks on before a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, despite all of the connections between Tomlin and the Bucs, nothing is likely to happen unless the team is bad enough to move on from current head coach Todd Bowles. The organization really likes the work Bowles has done as the head coach following Arians and seems to want to keep him around for the foreseeable future unless they feel they have no choice but to move on from him.

Now, if Bowles retires after this upcoming season, that would create another scenario where Tomlin could be lured to the team. Bowles has spoken in the past that he doesn't want to coach into his late 60s, and at 62 years old, the time is ticking on how much longer Bowles wants to stay around.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google