Mike Tomlin decided it was time to step away from coaching after 19 seasons as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. After one Super Bowl triumph, no losing seasons, and numerous early playoff exits recently, Tomlin is headed to NBC to be on the Sunday Night NFL coverage, as Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy is taking over as head coach. Find out more about the moment when Tomlin knew he was leaving the Steelers.
Mike Tomlin Talks About His Resignation
One might think there was a particular moment when Tomlin knew he was done, but he admitted that wasn’t the case. It was simply that he didn’t want to do it anymore.
Tomlin said, “You know, it’s probably not an overnight decision, but it’s probably not something that I could articulate or share with people. It’s just there’s a loneliness with leadership. I just thought it was a good time for me personally and by that I mean just where I am in life, and I thought it was a good time for the organization to be quite honest with you.”
Ex-#Steelers HC Mike Tomlin made his first appearance on NBC tonight to discuss his upcoming role as an analyst on Football Night in America.
Tomlin said at the end that, “gun to my head,” he believes Aaron Rodgers will be the Steelers’ QB next season. pic.twitter.com/znT0mKei4n https://t.co/IR2iJ3jLNh
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 26, 2026
The Steelers and Tomlin have been synonymous for almost two decades. Tomlin was ready to move on and took it upon himself to go out on his own terms. The organization had been in need of some sort of change. Tomlin was struggling to get it done in the playoffs and had lost seven straight playoff games before leaving Pittsburgh.
McCarthy has the tall task now of pulling the Steelers out of mediocrity. The team wins enough games to be relevant, but without an answer at quarterback.
As a result, they never get the chance to draft one of the top quarterbacks in the draft. It’s likely that Rodgers will be back with the Steelers to lead them for another season, but it’s always uncertain with Rodgers.
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As the Steelers set their sights on retaining their AFC North crown, Tomlin enters a new era. He is bringing his talents to the airwaves as a studio analyst. He’s one of the top minds to coach in the NFL because no one has ever done what he has.
Nineteen straight seasons without a losing record is unheard of, and he is going down as one of the more successful coaches in NFL history and will have plenty to offer in his new chapter.
