Mike Tomlin’s Desire to Coach Steelers Has Only Intensified

There had been speculation from national media that Mike Tomlin could look to step aside after the 2023 season, but that obviously didn’t come to fruition. Tomlin will return as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach for the 2024 season, and is expected to have his contract extended at some point this offseason.

“I expect to be back and I would imagine that those contract things are going to run their course,” Tomlin said at his season-ending press conference in January. “Art and I have a real good, transparent relationship. We communicate continually, often. I don’t imagine it’s going to be an issue and I imagine it’s going to get done in a timely manner at the appropriate time.”

At the NFL owner’s meeting on Monday in Orlando, Rob King of Steelers.com asked Tomlin about coaching the Steelers for the foreseeable future. And Tomlin gave an answer that suggests he has more fire now than ever.

“Absolutely. I love what I do. I love where I do it. I love who I do it with. I answer that question rather easily, to be quite honest with you,” Tomlin said. “Certainly, we have things like contracts and things to address. But just in spirit, in terms what I do, the energy I bring to what I do, the desire to step out of that car every day and step into that facility, it hasn’t waned in any way. If it’s done anything different, it has intensified.”

At 52, Tomlin is still a relatively young coach. If he chooses to. He probably can coach for another 20 years. Tomlin seems to be a football lifer like Bill Belichick. Of course, Tomlin will need to have more playoff success to last another two decades in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are currently on a seven-year playoff drought.

Tomlin, who is the longest-tenured head coach in the league, is entering his 18th season with the Steelers. His previous contract extension was a three-year deal that he signed in 2021, running through the 2022-24 seasons. His contract extensions have traditionally been announced at training camp.