The Pittsburgh Steelers had a tumultuous 2023 season that ultimately saw them reach the Wild Card Round of the AFC playoffs. It looked like the team was dead in the water after painful losses to the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, and Indianapolis Colts, but they managed to rally with strong performances by Mason Rudolph. This led to all kinds of speculation that Head Coach Mike Tomlin would either be fired, or step away from the team after the season. Tomlin confirmed at his postseason press conference that he would be returning to the team for the 2024 season. Long-time rival John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens was not at all shocked to hear the news that his coaching adversary would be returning to coach the Steelers in 2024.
Tomlin is now the longest-serving head coach in the league after the New England Patriots decided to move on from Bill Belichick. Harbaugh is second on the list having joined the Ravens in 2008, one season after Tomlin was hired in Pittsburgh. The pair have coached the second most games against each other with the total rising to 45 after the 2023 season. They're getting close to passing the legendary duo of George Halas and Curly Lambeau, who coached a record 49 games against each other. Tomlin holds a 20-15 lead in their matchups.
Harbaugh met with the media at the 2024 NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday and while most of his availability focused on his team and their needs this offseason, there was some Steelers talk. The veteran head coach was asked if he thought there was any chance that Tomlin wouldn't be returning to the Pittsburgh sidelines for the 2024 season.
"No and no," he said emphatically to the question. "Much love, much respect for Coach Tomlin, for the Steelers organization and the players."
Harbaugh and Tomlin are two of the most successful coaches in the game right now. Both have Super Bowl wins and while Tomlin gets a ton of attention for his no-losing seasons in 17 years as a head coach, Harbaugh only has one. Harbaugh holds a lead in playoff wins with 12 to Tomlin's 8.
Tomlin will be looking for his first playoff win since 2017 in the 2024 season, while Harbaugh's Ravens will be looking to build off a playoff win against the Houston Texans (but looking to avenge their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs this past season). Pittsburgh got the clean sweep of the Ravens in the 2023 season beating them in Week 5 and Week 18.
Cam and Connor Heyward's Dad Gets A Shoutout From Harbaugh
Right after saying how much respect he had for the Pittsburgh players, Harbaugh shared a quick story about Cam and Connor Heyward's dad, Craig "Ironhead" Heyward. The two crossed paths at the University of Pittsburgh when the elder Heyward was the team's running back and Harbaugh was a graduate assistant.
Harbaugh was only in Pittsburgh for the 1987 season, which was Heyward's last. He's listed on Pro Football Reference as a tight ends coach for the Panthers that season. He said in the one season, he got to see some special stuff from the big bruising running back.
"I saw him, first guy ever 300 plus pounds, leap over a BYU defensive back and run another 40 yards for a touchdown," Harbaugh explained. "I think he kind of epitomizes them now and their tradition."
Steelers' Heyward Carries On His Father's Legacy
Craig certainly set the tone for the Heyward family. He died unfortunately of cancer in 2006, but his legacy lives on through Cam and Connor. The elder brother, who just won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, often credits his father as a reason that he wants to give back.
There's plenty of respect both ways and both franchises have certainly benefited from their long-serving head coaches.
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