Mike Tomlin Addresses Future After Steelers Playoff Loss

What's Next for Tomlin?

It'll likely take a little bit of time for the dust to settle in Pittsburgh, but all eyes are on Tomlin and what's to come for the future Hall of Famer.

It's been repeatedly reported that the Steelers aren't going to outright fire him with one year left on his contract and a team option remaining for the 2027 campaign. Tomlin, however, could theoretically choose to step aside and explore his outside options.

While appearing on the "Rich Eisen Show" last week, Tomlin quieted any rumors of him taking a job as a TV analyst and vowed his devotion to coaching in the process.

"I'm institutionalized, man," Tomlin said. "I gotta have it. I just love the challenges week in and week out that this job provides: the growth in it, the collective growth, the individual growth. A lot of lessons I've learned in life has been through my football experiences. I've been on a team eery year of my life, man, since 1980."

A strong argument can be made that the Steelers need to go in a new direction, but they'd likely have to be pushed in that direction by Tomlin going elsewhere rather than actively doing so by firing him.

Tomlin has left an excellent legacy in Pittsburgh as one of the winningest coaches in league history, and he'd have shortage of opportunities should he step away from the Steelers.

It remains to be seen if he'll actually leave the organization after 19 seasons, though, and his decision will ultimately shape the entire offseason in Pittsburgh.