After Mike Tomlin Says Goodbye To Steelers, What Team Could He Help The Most?

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a franchise known for their consistency. However, the 2026 season will bring a rapid shake-up in leadership at the head coaching position.

Mike Tomlin announced on Jan. 13 that he would step down as the Steelers’ head coach after 19 seasons. Tomlin never finished below .500 in his tenure. His shining achievement was his Super Bowl XLIII win. 

Tomlin was a wide receiver at William & Mary from 1990 to 1994. After his graduation, he was given a chance to be a wide receivers coach for the Virginia Military Institute Kaydets. They are a Division 1 FCS team. 

Tomlin got his shot in the NFL in 2001, serving as the Buccaneers’ defensive backs coach. He worked for one year as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator before being hired by the Steelers as head coach.

The Steelers reached the Super Bowl twice in Tomlin’s first four seasons. They won Super Bowl XLIII and lost Super Bowl XLV to the Packers. In the 2016 playoffs, they lost to the Patriots in the conference championship game. This would be the last playoff win of Tomlin’s Steelers tenure.

The Steelers may look to Tomlin’s coaching tree for a replacement. Bruce Arians, the Super Bowl-winning coach of the Buccaneers, is his most notable trainee. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith brings head coaching experience, having coached the Falcons from 2021 to 2023. 

Any team that has an opening at head coach is likely to contact Tomlin. The Ravens would give him a chance to join a team that can contend for the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Giants have a good young core that Tomlin can help develop. It’s important to note that no Super Bowl-winning coach has ever won the game with another team. Some legendary coaches like Andy Reid and Bill Parcells have made it with multiple teams, but never won with more than one.