In the midst of ongoing speculation about his future, Mike Tomlin has officially confirmed that he will continue to serve as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2024 season. As the NFL’s longest-tenured head coach, Tomlin has one more season left on his current contract.
Tomlin addressed his contract situation during a news conference on Thursday and Steelers president Art Rooney II also weighed in on the matter.
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Rooney disclosed that the Steelers have intentions to extend Tomlin’s contract.
Tomlin’s impressive coaching resume continues to build, with 17 consecutive seasons without a losing record, even as the Steelers finished the 2023 season with a 10-7 record. Despite being the AFC’s No. 7 seed, the Steelers secured their 11th playoff appearance during Tomlin’s tenure this season, although they were promptly eliminated by the Buffalo Bills during Super Wild Card Weekend.
It’s worth noting that the Steelers faced challenges during the 2023-24 regular season, ranking outside the top 20 in both total offense and defense. They surpassed expectations by clinching a wild-card spot, though, with third-string quarterback Mason Rudolph leading a three-game winning streak to close out the campaign.
While Tomlin’s position as head coach remains secure, there are pressing issues the Steelers need to address in the upcoming offseason. The team needs to find a new offensive coordinator following the midseason dismissal of Matt Canada, especially given their scoring average of 17.9 points per game in the past season. Tomlin has indicated that he – along with Rooney and general manager Omar Khan – will look beyond the organization for potential candidates during the hiring process.
Another significant area of uncertainty for the Steelers is the quarterback position. Tomlin has stated that Kenny Pickett will return as the team's starting quarterback, but emphasized that the Week 1 starting role won’t automatically be handed to him.
Tomlin and Rooney maintain a strong and transparent working relationship and discussions regarding a contract extension are expected in the near future.
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