Almost immediately after the Pittsburgh Steelers lost 28-14 to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC wild-card game in January, fans and analysts suggested that both the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin could benefit from parting ways.
Steelers team president Art Rooney II made it known later that month that he never considered showing Tomlin the door. During a recent appearance on 92.9 FM ESPN out of Memphis, Pittsburgh wide receiver Calvin Austin III addressed the Tomlin chatter that has been circulating throughout the organization in 2025.
"We definitely, as a team, ignore that one," Austin said, Steelers Depot's Troy Montgomery shared. "When the coach comes in that Wednesday morning and outlines how the exact game is gonna go, what's their offensive coordinator's mindset, what's their defensive coordinator's mindset, what they're gonna do on special teams to try and beat us, and the game goes exactly like that, we can't come in and be like, 'I don't know.' He literally told us how it was gonna be. He's giving us the game. At that point, it's on us about executing."
The Steelers are a win-now team following the offseason pickups of wide receiver DK Metcalf, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, tight end Jonnu Smith and 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Add in that Tomlin hasn't notched a single playoff victory since the 2016 season, and it's understandable to at least wonder if he's on the hot seat.
Numerous insiders have said it's practically a guarantee that Tomlin will be with the Steelers at this time next year, unless he decides he wants a change or Pittsburgh becomes a complete disaster before the end of the upcoming campaign. Last offseason, Tomlin signed a three-year contract extension that reportedly pays him approximately $16 million per year.
"I feel like [that outside noise is] the last thing we think about because we have that trust in coach [Tomlin] that he's gonna have us ready," Austin added during the interview.
Notably, whispers emerged this week suggesting that Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones may consider contacting big-name head-coaching candidates in January 2026. Some linked Tomlin with Dallas this past winter before Rooney shut down rumors about a possible trade regarding the coach's rights.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!