Mike Tomlin Takes First Step Towards Becoming NFL Broadcaster

Tomlin stepped down as Pittsburgh's head coach after ending a 10-7 season with a first-round playoff loss for the third straight year. The Steelers famously didn't post a losing record throughout his 19-year run, which included a Super Bowl title.

While Tomlin could have represented a popular candidate in the offseason coaching cycle, he didn't rush into a new job. Rumors instead surfaced that the 54-year-old would move into broadcasting this year.

The Athletic's Andrew Marchand speculated in January that Tomlin could pick his preferred landing spot between Fox, ESPN, NBC, CBS, and Amazon Prime Video. Marchand identified Fox as a favorite to land the eight-time AFC North champion, potentially as a replacement for Jimmy Johnson on its Sunday studio show.

The biggest question could be whether Tomlin sees sports media as a brief detour or a long-term shift. Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer claimed in January that Tomlin was "done" coaching.

Several media members have expressed high hopes for Tomlin if he joins their ranks. Pardon The Interruption host Michael Wilbon predicted that he could "reset television as a form of entertainment" more than anyone in football since Madden.

"You know Mike Tomlin would be great at that," Wilbon said in January. "Why does he need coaching?"

Tomlin aligning with an agency could suggest he'll seek a sports media job before the 2026 NFL season.