Steelers GM Omar Khan Easily Swats Away Questions About Mike Tomlin's Future With The Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have not fired a coach since 1968. Bill Austin posted a 2-11-1 record and it dropped his overall coaching record to 11-28-3. Austin is the only former Steelers Head Coach in the history of the franchise who was later hired to be the top guy for another NFL team. The Rooneys have hired 16 head coaches in the history of the organization and some multiple times, but only Austin could manage one season with Washington in 1970. He went 6-8 and lasted one season.

The Steelers’ current Head Coach, Mike Tomlin has been at the helm of the franchise since 2007. He has won 163 regular season games, a Super Bowl and posted an 8-9 record in the playoffs. Tomlin is currently embarked on the second-longest streak in franchise history without a playoff victory. If the Steelers return to the playoffs in 2023 and win, it will end a seven-year stretch of futility.

General Manager, Omar Khan is in his first offseason as the head of the front office for the Pittsburgh Steelers and he has been a breath of fresh air to a frustrated fanbase. Khan has pulled off incredible trades like the Chase Claypool deal which turned that into Joey Porter Jr. He broke with long-standing traditions in the Pittsburgh front office and brought in Patrick Peterson and Allen Robinson who are both high-profile players, but ancient by Pittsburgh's normal standards. He even picked up a cool nickname: the 'Khan artist.'

Khan joined the PM Team/w Poni & Mueller on Thursday to discuss his short yet very successful tenure in Pittsburgh. After discussing the trades that brought Darnell Washington and Broderick Jones to Pittsburgh, Chris Mueller asked Khan about the expiring contract of Tomlin and whether Steelers fans can assume he is returning.

“That’s not my department,” Khan quickly replied. “I sure hope so. I love Coach Tomlin; we’ve had a great relationship. He has been awesome to be around and thinks very highly of the city. But that’s not my department.”

The Steelers’ inner-workings have long been a mystery to outsiders, but Dan Rooney was actively involved in Chuck Noll’s departure and despite stepping down as team president in 2002, was also still active with the team in 2007 when Bill Cowher departed. Art Rooney II was the person who hired Tomlin, but it is doubtful it would have happened without the elder Rooney’s sign-off. Khan seems to clearly illustrate that the head coach is on at least equal footing in the corporate hierarchy.

Most NFL General Managers would disapprove of the head coach not reporting to them, but it is not unprecedented. Khan served under Kevin Colbert for 20 seasons, so he has had plenty of time to adjust to the Steelers’ way of doing business. One thing that has defined the organization since they hired Noll in 1969 is whatever egos exist behind the scenes stay in the shadows.

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Occasionally, years later stories will escape about behind-the-scenes conflicts regarding who to draft or what free agent to sign. When they occur, the mutual respect and love for each other as members of the organization kept a tight lid on the proceedings. Stories that suggest that any kind of trouble in paradise usually ends up as funny anecdotes that are shared as evidence of a great working relationship.

Khan, Tomlin, and Andy Weidl form a formidable trio of talent. Based on this only being the second year of Kenny Pickett’s career, it seems unlikely they would move on from Tomlin after this season. He could elect to retire, but Tomlin seems to enjoy being the Head Coach in Pittsburgh and his new partners in the General Manager’s office seem intent on giving him every tool he needs to win another Super Bowl.