Steelers Owner Reveals If Mike Tomlin Would've Been Fired If HC Didn't Resign After NFL Playoff Loss

Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II has made it clear that Mike Tomlin's decision to step down as head coach wasn't an indication he was going to be fired by the organization.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Rooney explained the Steelers were "willing to take another run at it next year" with Tomlin if he wanted to stay and had high praise for the 53-year-old.

Tomlin announced on Tuesday that he was stepping down after 19 seasons as Pittsburgh's head coach. Rooney said his belief is the decision was primarily "family related," but he would leave the exact explanation for Tomlin to share when he is ready.

As for the future, Rooney said he's not anticipating Tomlin will coach in 2026 and that the Steelers' next head coach will likely come from outside the organization.

Rooney's comments indicate that the organization had been anticipating Tomlin's decision.

There had been rumblings for weeks leading up to the end of the regular season and going into the first week of the playoffs that Tomlin might not return in 2026.

ESPN's Adam Schefter suggested on the Dec. 29 episode of The Pat McAfee Show that Tomlin could pursue a media role if he didn't want to continue coaching next season.

After Tomlin announced he was stepping down, Schefter reported the 53-year-old has "options" for what to do next, either in coaching or potentially as a television analyst.

The shock from Tomlin's move comes from the fact that the Steelers will be searching for a head coach. This is not a position they are familiar with, having had just three head coaches since 1969.

It did feel like this was a good time for Tomlin and the Steelers to go their separate ways. He was able to end his tenure without ever having a losing season and winning the AFC North in his final year, albeit one that concluded with a 30-6 playoff loss to the Houston Texans.

The Steelers can get a reset after having the second-oldest roster in the NFL during the 2025 season. They don't have an obvious starting quarterback with Aaron Rodgers set to hit free agency.

There's no doubt this job will be appealing for many reasons, not least of which is the time and patience ownership gives head coaches to build their program.

Tomlin ended his Steelers' tenure with 193 wins, 10th-most for a head coach in NFL history. He is also one of 11 coaches all-time with at least 200 career wins between the regular season and playoffs.