Could Buccaneers land Mike Tomlin, who has ties to Tampa?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the decision this offseason to keep head coach Todd Bowles after an 8-9 season that saw the team start 6-2 before their bye week. The decision was controversial to many, but at the time, the head coaching candidate pool was fairly thin.

Boy, has that changed.

A number of veteran coaches have gotten fired, including Cleveland Browns head coach Brian Stefanski and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. Now, another AFC North coach is out, as longtime Steelers HC Mike Tomlin announced Tuesday that he is stepping down as Steelers HC.

Things are fluid in the NFL, and the Buccaneers have a tie to Tomlin — he was the team's defensive backs coach from 2001-05, when the team won its first Super Bowl. Could the Buccaneers go after him with those ties, and his recent availability on the market?

Well, aside from the fact that the Bucs are 99% sticking with Bowles, it's complicated — starting with the fact that Tomlin isn't actually. on the market.

Buccaneers would have to wait for Mike Tomlin

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin looks on during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Tomlin stepped down as head coach and did not get fired (even if the Steelers perhaps strongly requested that he step down). Because of that, the Buccaneers would have to trade for him to get him to come to Tampa Bay, which is the first obstacle in hiring Tomlin if you did end up wanting to move on from Bowles. Both Super Bowls the Bucs have won were headed by coaches Tampa Bay traded for, though, so the Glazers and Jason Licht may not be averse to such a thing.

Secondly, Tomlin may not want to coach at all in 2025. According to most reports, Tomlin wants to take a year off before jumping back into any coaching activities, and he may head to TV for a year before heading back into the market in 2027.

The belief in league circles is Mike Tomlin will do media for at least one season, like his predecessor Bill Cowher.

All options will be available to him after next season. https://t.co/AsJAnS6Q8o
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 13, 2026

Finally, the Buccaneers seem very, very set on keeping Todd Bowles, Things change in this league, but Bowles is currently conducting interviews for Tampa Bay's vacant OC position and he appears here to stay. For that reason alone, the Bucs won't go after Tomlin this year.

If things go bad for them next year, though, there's always the possibility that they could make a run for him in 2027. And according to NFL reporter Josina Anderson, the Bucs could be the perfect fit for the weather he is looking for at his next stop.

NEW (More Nuggets): League sources also have told me, "Mike Tomlin has told people that he would prefer to coach in a warm-weather environment, if it fits." #Steelers https://t.co/oRQvzTo1lF
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 13, 2026

Time will tell for the 2027 cycle, but in 2026, the Buccaneers seem content with Todd Bowles.

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