Steelers Owner Details Conversation He Had With Mike Tomlin About Stepping Down

Rooney made clear that he was shocked that Tomlin made the decision now, but he wasn't necessarily surprised by the choice, either. | Chuck Cook-Imagn Images

Just one day after Mike Tomlin announced that he'd be walking away from his long-held job with the Steelers, team owner and president Art Rooney II offered curious parties some insight into how the conversation with the coach went down.

Speaking before reporters on Wednesday, Rooney said that he wasn't shocked by Tomlin's decision, per se, but also wasn't expecting the conversation to happen when it did. He added that he would've had Tomlin stick around if the coach wanted to, and did not try to talk him out of it.

"I'm not going to get into his contract at this point," Rooney told the media, "but I was certainly willing to take another run at it next year with Mike. And that's what I was expecting to talk about yesterday, but obviously, it went in a different direction."

Rooney said the conversation lasted around 15 to 20 minutes, and that Tomlin came to him late in the morning. Players were later informed at their team meeting around 2 p.m. ET.

As for the impetus behind Tomlin's exit, the Steelers president added that he didn't think the game or the recent "Fire Tomlin" chants had anything to do with it (though that is, of course, just his interpretation).

"I think I'll leave it to him to explain to him someday what went into his decision," Rooney continued. "I think that, in my mind and in the discussion we had, it was probably more of a family-related decision than a football-related decision, but as I said, I don't want to speak for Mike on that."

As recent reports have also suggested, Rooney believes Tomlin does "not anticipate coaching at least in the near future," and is instead looking forward to spending time with his family and doing the things this job has kept him from doing in the past. If Tomlin were, however, to want to sign with another team in the future, the Steelers (who retain his coaching rights) would deal with that then, the president said.

Notably, the 73-year-old Rooney added that he expects Tomlin's departure to weigh into Aaron Rodgers's decision regarding his future with the team. The veteran QB is now a free agent, and could return to the Steelers, sign with another team, or retire.

"Aaron came here to play for Mike, so I think it will most likely affect his decision," Rooney said.

The team president and GM Omar Khan will now lead the search for what will be just the fourth Steelers head coaching hire since 1969. And ideally, Rooney said, they'll find someone who emulates the attributes of former leaders Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin, too.

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