Mike Tomlin is enjoying life away from the NFL sidelines, but the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers coach is not ready to definitively close the door on a potential return to coaching. After 19 seasons leading Pittsburgh, Tomlin stepped away from the position and joined NBC Sports as an analyst, giving himself an opportunity to experience football from an entirely different perspective.
Tomlin’s transition to television has been closely watched because of his remarkable longevity with the Steelers. He never had a losing season during his Pittsburgh tenure, won Super Bowl XLIII and led the franchise to 13 playoff appearances. Now, however, he is experiencing something that was largely unavailable to him during nearly two decades as an NFL head coach: a much quieter offseason.
That change in lifestyle was at the center of Tomlin’s recent conversation with Rich Eisen. Eisen asked whether Tomlin’s excitement about his new role with NBC meant he had definitively turned the page on coaching or whether this should be viewed more as a sabbatical. Tomlin’s answer made one thing clear: he is not thinking too far ahead, and he is thoroughly enjoying his current situation.
Is Mike Tomlin retiring?
Mike Tomlin acknowledged that he does not know what the long-term future holds, but he also made it clear that he has learned not to completely shut doors in his career. At the same time, his comments suggest that stepping away from coaching has provided him with a level of peace and relaxation that he had not experienced in years.
“I don’t know about the long-term component of things. I’ve just lived enough to know that you leave certain doors ajar. But man, I got to admit that my pulse rate is pretty low these days. I’ve enjoyed my summer home to the fullest. It has been a good off season.”
The comment about leaving “certain doors ajar” is particularly notable because Tomlin is not ruling out another opportunity to coach in the NFL. His decision to join NBC does not necessarily represent a permanent retirement from coaching, and a future opportunity with the right team could potentially change his mind. For now, though, there appears to be no urgency on his part to return to the pressure of an NFL head-coaching job.
After spending nearly two decades dealing with the demands of running an NFL franchise, Tomlin’s comments about his lower “pulse rate” offer a revealing look at how much he is enjoying his new routine. His broadcasting role allows him to remain closely connected to football without the daily responsibilities of a head coach, while also giving him more time at home during the offseason.
That does not mean Tomlin has permanently moved on from coaching. If anything, his answer leaves the possibility open while making his current priorities clear. For now, Tomlin appears comfortable taking a step back, enjoying his NBC opportunity and seeing where life takes him before deciding whether he wants to return to the NFL sideline.
