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Mike Tomlin’s decision to step away after a blowout loss in the AFC Wild Card round pushed the Steelers into an uncharacteristic coaching search.
Tomlin did not specify a reason for stepping down in a statement released Tuesday, but he thanked owner Art Rooney II and the late Ambassador Rooney for their trust over nearly two decades.
“While this chapter is coming to an end, my respect and love for the Pittsburgh Steelers will never change. I am excited for what the future holds for this organization and I will be forever grateful for my time coaching in Pittsburgh,” Tomlin concluded the statement.
Rooney II and Omar Khan will oversee the coaching search, with Rooney calling Tomlin’s decision unexpected but not surprising.
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Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II and head coach Mike Tomlin before their game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 23, 2018; New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chuck Cook/USA TODAY Sports)
“It was his decision and I’d say I wasn’t shocked, but I didn’t expect that conversation yesterday either,” Rooney said. “… I was definitely willing to take a trip next year with Mike, and that’s what I expected to talk about yesterday, but it went in a different direction.”
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Tomlin has two years left on his Steelers contract, and any team looking to hire him before 2027 must compensate Pittsburgh. Acknowledging the slim prospects of Tomlin’s coaching later this year, Rooney gave further context to his departure, saying it centered on his personal life.
Pittsburgh Steelers owner and team president Art Rooney II looks on prior to a game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 22, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
“Mike indicated that he did not anticipate coaching in the near future,” Rooney said. “I think he wants to spend time with his family and do the things he hasn’t been able to do for the last, many years. So if something like that comes up, we’ll take it when it comes up, but it doesn’t seem like something on his radar.”
Rooney said he, Khan and other key decision-makers will take an open-minded approach to the rare coaching search.
“I have been involved in a number of searches going back to the coach [Bill] Cowher and GM searches,” Rooney said, recalling past coaching search experiences. “I think if I’ve learned anything about searches, it’s to keep an open mind. We had Mike in for his first interview and certainly didn’t expect him to be our head coach. I think you go through the process and be diligent and hopefully come out with the right guy.”
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, right, stands on the sideline during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff game against the Houston Texans in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 12, 2026. (Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo)
When asked about the qualities he looks for in candidates, Rooney said leadership is at the top of the list.
“I think there are a lot of things that go into being a successful head coach,” Rooney said. “No. 1 in my mind is leadership and confidence that this person can step in front of the team day in and day out and hold their attention and motivate them to do what they do. That’s the most important thing.”
After defeating the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 to clinch the AFC North and the final NFL playoff spot, the Steelers scored just six points in Monday’s loss to the Houston Texans.
