Mike Tomlin Stepping Down as Steelers HC Stuns NFL Fans After Playoff Loss

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is stepping down from his position, ending his tenure with the team after 19 seasons.

Tomlin's Steelers never posted a losing record in any of his campaigns, going 193-114-2 overall since 2007. The Steelers made the playoffs 13 times under his stewardship. In addition, they won a pair of AFC titles and a Super Bowl to cap the 2008 season.

The AFC North champions' 2025 season ended with a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round on Monday. One day later, Tomlin's nearly two-decade run with the team ended.

Fans reacted to the news with a mix of surprise, intrigue and appreciation for his storied career:

Tomlin's teams had hit a roadblock in recent years. The Steelers were just above-average from 2021-2025, winning nine or 10 games each season. They made the playoffs in four of those five seasons, losing in the AFC Wild Card round each time. Pittsburgh also hasn't won a playoff game since 2016, when the team reached the AFC Championship.

The 53-year-old's time with Pittsburgh is over, and it appears coaching in 2026 is out of the question. However, he could remain in the spotlight, per a report from Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. In essence, Marchand said Tomlin can "pick his TV studio job" and that "Fox is considered the favorite."

We'll see if Tomlin joins Curt Menefee, Michael Strahan, Terry Bradshaw and Rob Gronkowski on the desk down the road. For now, though, the Steelers are in the rare position of looking for a coach, given that the team has only had three from since 1969.