What Mike Tomlin Told Interested Teams About His 2026 Plans

The former Steelers coach does not plan to coach next season.

Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin does not plan to coach in 2026. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Mike Tomlin stepped down as Steelers head coach on Tuesday after 19 seasons at the helm.

The key words there are "stepped down." Tomlin was not fired, and Pittsburgh still holds his contractual rights through the end of his deal, even though he will no longer coach the franchise. Tomlin's latest extension runs through the 2026 season, but includes a team option for 2027.

Unsurprisingly, several teams have reached out to Tomlin to gauge his interest in coaching next season. Tomlin has told each team that he has no plans to coach in 2026, according to a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

In the event that Tomlin does want to coach, either now or in the future, an interested team will need to negotiate with the Steelers on a trade as long as the 55-year-old is under contract in Pittsburgh.

However, it sounds like Tomlin is taking some much-deserved time off after nearly two decades leading the Steelers as the franchise's coach.

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