The NFL’s longest-tenured head coach confirmed Thursday that he intends to return to the Steelers for an 18th
season, dismissing talk that he was on the verge of burnout and considering a step back.
When asked if he told anyone he needed a break, Tomlin shook his head and chuckled “no,” saying his passion for
his job has only grown stronger as he delves deeper into a career that includes a Super Bowl ring, but also a seven-
year playoff win drought that began with a 31-17 loss to Buffalo in the first round on Monday.
Tomlin’s Steelers went 10-8 in his 17 seasons and have never finished below.500 since replacing Bill Cowher in
January 2007.
However, Pittsburgh has been trapped on a treadmill of sorts since reaching the AFC title game in 2016, with five
seasons of 8 to 10 wins and four swift playoff exits.
While Tomlin believes the Steelers have cut the gap on the teams playing in the divisional round this weekend, he
also acknowledges that it doesn’t matter.
“It all sucks,” Tomlin admitted. “It’s not about degrees of awful. Everything sucks. “I would rather be working.”
Instead, Tomlin will spend the next several weeks interviewing for an offensive coordinator, who he says will come
from outside the club, and preparing for the NFL draft and free agency.
Tomlin is approaching the final year of a contract deal signed in 2021. When asked about it shortly after the Steelers’
loss to the Bills, he stormed out rather than respond. Three days later, Tomlin conceded, “I could have handled the
situation better than I did,” but thought it was not the time or place to address his future.
A future in Pittsburgh. He declined to comment on whether he will seek a multi-year contract from team president
Art Rooney II, but he is also not concerned that the length (or lack thereof) of a new contract will be a sticking issue.
