Just 10 days ago, Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh, the veteran Pittsburgh and Baltimore coaches, were going against each other for the NFC North title and the fourth seed in the AFC.
The two coaches had a lot in common. Tomlin was in his 19th year and Harbaugh his 18th and both had won Super Bowls, but Tomlin hadn’t won a playoff game since 2016, while Harbaugh had taken the Ravens to the AFC title game just two years ago.
The Steelers won when Baltimore missed a last-second field goal and advanced to the playoffs, but lost to the Houston Texans 30-6 on Monday night.
And now both teams will have new coaches next year. Harbaugh was fired in a surprise move after the loss to Pittsburgh, while Tomlin resigned Tuesday. The Steelers had no plans to fire Tomlin, but the fan base had become frustrated with his lack of success in the playoffs in recent years even though he never had a losing season.
With nine jobs open, Harbaugh is the hottest candidate on the market and appears headed to the Giants, while Tomlin — who is under contract with the Steelers in 2026 — might take a year off to try broadcasting before returning to the sidelines in 2027.
Both Tomlin and Steeler owner Art Rooney II, who was apparently surprised by Tomlin’s decision, issued statements. Tomlin said he decided he decided to step down “after much thought and reflection.” Rooney said, “It is hard to put into words the level of respect and appreciation I have for Coach Tomlin.”
Tomlin was only the third Steelers head coach the team has hired since 1969. That was the year Chuck Noll was hired. He won four Super Bowl in the 1970s and was followed by Cowher and Tomlin, who both won one Super Bowl and lost one. Like Cowher, Cowher also resigned and never returned to the sidelines and still appears on the CBS pregame show.
This will be the first time Art Rooney II has had to hire a head coach, so the pressure is on him to make the right choice. His late father, Dan Rooney, who hired Noll, Cowher and Tomlin, set a high bar. The new coach also has to find a quarterback for the future since Aaron Rodgers is likely to retire.
If he follows his dad’s model, Art II will hire an assistant coach in his 30s who will be on the job for more than decade.
Finding the right coach is easier said than done. But the Steelers like stability and don’t want to become one of those teams that hires a new coach every few years.
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