If Mike Tomlin wanted to continue coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026, he would have been given that opportunity. Steelers owner Art Rooney II told reporters Wednesday that he was ready to run it back with Tomlin for another season after the team lost 30-6 to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round.
Rooney said Wednesday he was expecting to have that conversation with Tomlin on Tuesday, but that things changed when Tomlin said he intended to step down. While Rooney didn’t expect the conversation to take that turn, he admitted he “wasn’t shocked” that Tomlin decided to leave the team.
Tomlin surprised many in the NFL world Tuesday after announcing he was stepping down as the Steelers’ head coach after 19 seasons on the job. Tomlin, 53, put up an incredible 193-114-2 regular-season record with the Steelers over that period and notably never experienced a losing season with the franchise. Tomlin led the team to 13 playoff appearances, winning the Super Bowl in 2008.
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Rooney said he believed Tomlin’s decision to walk away from the Steelers is “family related.” Rooney said he did not attempt to talk Tomlin out of the decision and that Tomlin said he was not looking to get back into coaching any time soon.
Tomlin is still under contract with the Steelers for two more seasons. If he wanted to return to the NFL to coach another team while still under contract with the Steelers, Pittsburgh would be eligible to receive compensation for Tomlin should another team show interest. Tomlin also reportedly has a no-trade clause in his deal, so he would have to approve his destination. Rooney declined to discuss specifics regarding Tomlin’s contract Wednesday.
With Tomlin gone, the Steelers are looking at some major changes heading into 2026. For just the third time since 1969, the Steelers will hire a new head coach. When asked what he’s looking for in the team’s next coach, Rooney said leadership was the most important trait required for the job.
In addition to choosing a new head coach, the team will likely be in the market for a new quarterback as well. Veteran Aaron Rodgers is a free agent after spending his age-42 season with the Steelers in 2025. While Rodgers could return to the team in 2026, Rooney doesn’t believe that will be the case, saying Tomlin’s presence was a major factor behind Rodgers joining the franchise last offseason.
Rodgers has not stated whether he intends to play in the NFL in 2026. He finished the 2025 NFL season with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 16 starts.
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Given the unrest at quarterback, the Steelers could be in for a bit of a rebuilding year under their new head coach. Rooney cautioned against that language, however, saying the team would prefer to compete Day 1 under their next coach.
Whoever the team selects as its next head coach has big shoes to fill. Rooney described Tomlin’s tenure with the Steelers as a “winning era.” The Steelers were in contention during every single season in which Tomlin was the team’s head coach. In his 19 seasons in that role, Tomlin coached only one game in which the Steelers had no shot at making the playoffs.
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Though the Steelers remained competitive in 2025, the end of the Tomlin era also came with frustrations. Despite making the playoffs virtually every season, Tomlin went 0-7 in the team’s last seven postseason games. The inability to make deep postseason runs under Tomlin in recent seasons likely weighed on the coach, and may have played a role in his decision to step away from the franchise.
Holding the new head coach to those same expectations could prove difficult. While the end of the Tomlin era was disappointing for some, his sustained excellence will be tough to match.
The Steelers have had a knack for choosing the right head-coaching candidates in the past. It’s up to Rooney to prove the team can work its magic yet again following Tomlin’s exit.
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