Mike Tomlin not comfortable with the new contract

Any NFL teams thinking Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin will be available to coach their franchise next summer are out of luck. The Steelers announced Monday that Tomlin has signed a three-year contract extension that would keep him in Pittsburgh until the 2027 season.

“Mike Tomlin’s leadership and commitment to the Steelers have been pivotal to our success during his first 17 years as head coach,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement on the team’s website. “Extending his contract for three more years reflects our confidence in his ability to guide the team back to winning playoff games and championships, while continuing our tradition of success.”

Tomlin, 52, was hired by the Steelers in 2007 and has served as their head coach ever since. With Bill Belichick leaving the New England Patriots in early 2024, Tomlin is now the NFL’s longest-tenured head coach. If he reaches the end of his current contract extension, he will have coached the Steelers for 21 seasons.

When discussing NFL teams and coaches remaining together, the word “if” is crucial, but the Steelers are not like other teams. Since 1969, they’ve had only three head coaches: Hall of Famers Chuck Noll (1969-91), Bill Cowher (1992-2006), Mike Tomlin (2007-present). Last season, Tomlin fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada in the middle of the season, the first time the Steelers have done it in over 80 years.

The Steelers enjoy making decisions and sticking to them, but that’s not why they’ve kept with Tomlin for over 17 years. They’ve persisted with him since he’s extremely good at his job. He has never had a season below.500 in his 17-year career. Tomlin has won at least eight or nine games in every season he has coached, including the previous two post-Ben Roethlisberger seasons, which have been among his most difficult tasks. He has a 275-173 record (.633 winning percentage) and has led the Steelers to the playoffs 11 times.

Tomlin was not in the mood to discuss his deal earlier this year. After the Steelers’ playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills in January, Tomlin famously walked off the podium when a reporter inquired about his future with the team. Tomlin has more to say now that his contract is up.

“I am appreciative for this contract extension and thankful for Art Rooney II for his support during my first 17 years in Pittsburgh,” Tomlin stated on the team’s homepage. “We are working hard to go back to where we belong: prolonged playoff success, with the ultimate objective of winning the franchise’s seventh Lombardi Trophy.

“I am very excited to get the 2024 season underway and provide our fans with a memorable year.”