Schefter: 1 Team Called Steelers About Mike Tomlin, Informed HC Has No-Trade Clause

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin's immediate future appears to be something of a talking point following the team's AFC Wild Card Round loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday that another NFL team called the Steelers to inquire about trading for Tomlin, although any such move would require the coach's approval given his no-trade clause.

"Last week, we said there will be teams that would check into the availability of Mike Tomlin, and one did, and one was told that Mike Tomlin has a no-trade clause in his contract," Schefter said. "So, anything that would happen in Pittsburgh involving Mike Tomlin would come with his consent and his consent only.

"A loss like last night's might further teams to look into it. Pittsburgh hasn't given any indication that it wants to move on from Mike Tomlin, and this has been the most patient franchise, not just in football, but maybe sports."

That another team would call the Steelers to ask about Tomlin isn't surprising, as the coach's entire situation with Pittsburgh is one of the most intriguing in the entire NFL.

There is little doubt he is an excellent head coach considering he has started his career with a league-record 18 consecutive non-losing seasons.

Pittsburgh has cycled through various roster constructions and quarterbacks during that span and has still remained among the league's contenders almost every single year under Tomlin's guidance. That type of consistency is a testament to his overall leadership, as is his 183-107-2 record and Super Bowl ring.

However, that Lombardi Trophy came during his second season in 2008.

The new norm for the Steelers is being good enough to make the playoffs but not good enough to realistically compete for the sport's biggest prize. In fact, Saturday's defeat to the Baltimore Ravens marked the fourth time in the last five years Pittsburgh lost in the AFC Wild Card Round.

Its last playoff win came during the 2016 campaign, so other teams might be wondering if both the team and head coach are perhaps ready for a change of scenery.

"This dichotomy has created a chasm between those who tout Tomlin as a top coach and those who believe change at the top is the only thing that can end the postseason drought," Mike DeFabo of The Athletic wrote Thursday before the latest playoff loss. "The national media trumpets Tomlin's non-losing seasons, while the local radio shock jocks blast him for postseason failures. It's a dramatic divide."

If that "dramatic divide" and the recent postseason failures are starting to wear on Tomlin, perhaps he will look for an exit strategy this offseason.

There are surely other teams with coaching vacancies who would love to add a leader with such an impressive record and Super Bowl title, and at least one reportedly took the step of calling the Steelers to check on the situation.