LATROBE, Pa. — Mike Tomlin undoubtedly has a lot of things to think about as the Pittsburgh Steelers open up training camp. His contract, however, isn’t one of them.
The Steelers coach, who has two years left on his current deal, will not have his contract extended by the team this summer, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. His job status remains high, per the report, as Tomlin enters the 2023 season as the NFL’s second longest-tenured head coach behind only Bill Belichick.
“Wow, I hadn’t even thought about it,” Tomlin told reporters this week when asked about a possible contract extension. “I’m stage of my career I don’t care about contracts to be honest with you, man. I acknowledge I’ve seen more days than I’m going to see. You know, that’s just the nature of this thing.
“I’m appreciative of the opportunity. I’m singularly focused. I’m thankful that I’m at a stage in life and my career where that’s a non-issue for me.”
Tomlin may be on the back nine on his coaching career, but Steelers general manager Omar Khan doesn’t see his working relationship with Tomlin coming to an end any time soon. The two have worked together since Tomlin became Pittsburgh’s head coach in 2007.
“Yeah, that’s not my department, but I anticipate Coach and I are going to be here together for a long time,” Khan told reporters on Thursday. “Him and I have a great relationship personally, professionally, and that’s not my business. It’s his. Not my department.
“But I anticipate both of us will be here for a long time.”
Tomlin, 51, has the highest winning percentage (.636) of any coach in franchise history. He is second to Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll in regular-season wins (163), total wins (171), seasons coached (16 and counting) and Super Bowl appearances (two). He is tied with Hall of Fame coach Bill Cowher for second in franchise history with 10 playoff seasons and Super Bowl wins (one).
Tomlin has one feather in his cap that separates himself from Noll and Cowher: he has never had a losing season as Steelers coach. In fact, Tomlin’s 16 straight years without a losing season is the most in NFL history to start a coaching career.
For a while, it looked as if the 2022 Steelers would be Tomlin’s first losing team. But after a 2-6 start, the Steelers rallied to win seven of their final nine games to finish the campaign with a 9-8 record. Several Steelers praised Tomlin for his steady leadership throughout what was a roller coaster of a year.
“That was just for Mike T.,” running back Najee Harris said after Pittsburgh secured a winning season. “When we started 2-6, he always said that, ‘I’m not going to change the way I’m coaching. I’m not going to blink. I’m going to be the same guy.’ He never changed. He never switched up. That’s his leadership. For us to come in there and win for him and not have that losing season, I think that was big for us.”
Tomlin and Khan have high hopes for his current squad, a group that has several new faces following what was a busy offseason for Khan in his first full offseason as GM. Depth is a big reason for that optimism. Pittsburgh’s offensive line, a group that includes first-round pick Broderick Jones and former Eagle Isaac Seumalo, is deeper than it’s been in recent years. The Steelers are also expecting a significant jump from Kenny Pickett in his second season as the Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback.
“He needs to be what we need him to be,” Tomlin said of his quarterback. “I know that he’s preparing with that mindset, and I like his approach and his demeanor in that regard, but I think whether you’re talking about guys like quarterbacks or guys like me as a head coach, we need to be what our team needs us to be.”
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Author: Bryan DeArdo
July 28, 2023 | 11:11 am
