The Pittsburgh Steelers will not fire Mike Tomlin during the 2025 season. However, according to a report from Adam Schefter, a crucial decision is looming due to a huge detail about the head coach’s contract that was previously unknown.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers are not going to fire coach Mike Tomlin, but they have a significant decision to make early next year. After this season, Tomlin’s contract will have two years remaining, 2026 and a team option in 2027. But according to league sources, the Steelers must decide whether to pick up the option on Tomlin’s contract by March 1.”
Tomlin won a Super Bowl and lost another one in his early years with the team, but in the last eight seasons he hasn’t been able to get a playoff victory. Because of that, an inconsistent 2025 has frustrated a fan base that is demanding results quickly.
Will Steelers fire Mike Tomlin?
No. The Pittsburgh Steelers will not fire Mike Tomlin. However, according to Adam Schefter’s report, the key moment will come when team ownership decides whether to pick up the 2027 option for the head coach.
“There will be organizational meetings and decisions that occur but not until after this season, with a full body of work for all appropriate parties to review, sources said. Nobody in the Steelers’ organization nor around the NFL expects Pittsburgh to fire Tomlin; the organization hasn’t fired a head coach since 1968. But the option in Tomlin’s contract is the real touchstone. If the Steelers decline to pick up Tomlin’s option, they would allow their head coach to enter the final year of his contract next season, which teams typically prefer not to do.”
If the Steelers don’t want to extend Mike Tomlin’s contract, March would be the key date because, if they choose not to pick up the 2027 option, the message to the head coach would be very clear. That could trigger the start of negotiations for an amicable departure or a possible trade.