The Problem Being Mike Tomlin: Now What?

What's it like to be Mike Tomlin right now? He is a 36-year-old that has just won a Super Bowl. I do not deny that Tomlin had the benefit of a very talented team and outstanding organization. 

I do concede that beating the 8-8 San Diego Chargers, a team featuring a rookie quarterback and head coach in the Baltimore Ravens, and the Arizona Cardinals, who were only 9-7 for a reason this year, was not some great run through a tough playoff gauntlet for the ages.

But that doesn't change that Tomlin's Steelers got it done whereas other teams that had their shots didn't. It doesn't change that the team Tomlin took over was 8-8 the season before, or that only 20 Steelers remain from Bill Cowher's Super Bowl-winning team.

It also does not change that the Steelers had the toughest schedule in the NFL this season, and navigated through it with a patchwork offensive line and injuries to his quarterback, running backs, and wide receivers.

It also does not change that Tomlin opened up the Steelers' offense (and was criticized for it by none other than his starting tailback, Willie Parker), stood up for his quarterback Ben Roethlisberger when he was being criticized for turning over the football, and even had some elements of his own Cover-two incorporated into Dick LeBeau's defense.

The Steelers were clearly Tomlin's team, and he did a great job of coaching it, showing great improvement from some bumbling "not quite ready for primetime" moments in 2007. 

Furthermore, the Steelers should be even better in 2009. They aren't facing yet another massive wave of free agent defections, their offensive line situation will improve via health and acquisitions, and they should get more from high draft picks Rashard Mendenhall and Limas Sweed, who contributed very little this season.

Whether the Steelers repeat will be mostly a matter of health and how the ball bounces, but they will have as good a shot as any. And Mike Tomlin will be...all of 37 years old?

That is the primary issue with Tomlin.

Tomlin has proven he can compete with the best on football's highest stage and come away with the top prize. So where does he go from here? What is Tomlin's football coaching career going to be 30, 20, or even 10 years from now?

After all, the game has changed. No longer are guys going to be able to spend 20-to-30 years with one franchise as did Chuck Noll, Tom Landry, Don Shula, etc.

For example, the longest tenured NFL head coach in a single city is Jeff Fisher, who has only been in Nashville for 14 seasons. 

So what does Tomlin do?

Hop from NFL franchise to NFL franchise? Go to the college ranks to make the real money?

Lane Kiffin will make an average of $2.375 million a year to coach the Tennessee Volunteers. Add to that, Lane Kiffin's father Monte will average $1.5 million a year to be the Volunteers' defensive coordinator.

Will Tomlin work in another field than football? The possibilities may appear endless, but are they really? 

I agree, Tomlin's "plight" is a good problem to have today.

But what about tomorrow?

Then again, maybe Tomlin is one of those who will let "tomorrow" take care of itself.

But as for today, Tomlin is a guy that can coach in a game that doesn't provide lengthy vacations.

After all, the combine is in less than three weeks, and free agency will fire up a short time after.