Five silver linings for the Steelers after the end of the Mike Tomlin era

It's a chance for a complete reset

In many ways, Tomlin is a victim of his own success. He never had a losing season with the Steelers, but that's one reason the team has been mired in mediocrity in recent years. Pittsburgh hasn't won more than 10 regular-season games since the 2020 season. This season, it went 10-7. 

That has left the team unable to secure a high pick in the NFL Draft, which they could use on a quarterback. Pittsburgh owns pick No. 21 in 2026, likely outside the range to select a top passer.  

Since former star QB Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season, the Steelers have started former first-round flop Kenny Pickett and veterans past their primes, including Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. Don't expect QB Will Howard — a 2025 sixth-round pick — to end the revolving door at the most important position.  

Tanking in 2026 would allow Pittsburgh to land an elite QB prospect. The class features QBs Arch Manning (Texas Longhorns) and LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina Gamecocks). 

Sometimes, a team must first be awful to become great. Look at the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s. Dallas went 1-15 in 1989 after firing Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry and replacing him with Jimmy Johnson. Johnson, of course, won two Super Bowls in his next four seasons in Dallas. 

Steelers can now bring in an offensive-minded coach 

The Steelers offense has looked anemic in its past two seasons under Tomlin. Pittsburgh ranked 17th in the league in scoring (22.4) this season, after finishing 20th last season (21.9). (Those figures include the playoffs.) 

Offense isn't Tomlin's expertise. He began his NFL coaching career as a defensive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and spent one season as a defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings before the Steelers hired him in January 2007. 

With Tomlin gone, Pittsburgh can hire an offensive guru to fix the struggling unit. Plenty of top offensive minds are available, including former Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski, former Washington Commanders OC/Arizona Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury and former Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel. 

The Steelers are an attractive landing spot for head-coaching candidates

The Steelers provide two things coaches covet: stability and patience. Since 1969, Pittsburgh has had just three HCs: Tomlin, Bill Cowher (1992-2006) and Chuck Noll (1969-91). All won a Super Bowl with the club. 

The Rooney family certainly plays a significant role in the franchise's football operations. However, it's not overbearing like other owners (cough, cough, Jerry Jones). 

"The other side of the coin is when you look at the fact we have six, seven, eight teams a year that turn their coaches over," Art Rooney II said while discussing Tomlin's job status in January 2025 (h/t ESPN's Brooke Pryor). "When you have a good coach, you just keep trying to build with them."

Omar Khan is an excellent GM  

Moving on from a long-tenured coach always raises concerns about a team's ability to find talent. Luckily for the Steelers, Khan has a proven track record. 

Khan joined the organization in 2001 as a football administration coordinator. Since then, he has helped Pittsburgh select multiple Pro Bowlers in the draft, including eight-time Pro Bowl linebacker T.J. Watt and seven-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. 

Since becoming GM in 2022, Khan has made bold trades. In March 2025, he acquired star wide receiver DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks. The WR led the team in receiving yards during the regular season (850 in 15 games).  

Pittsburgh hosts the NFL Draft 

The draft is scheduled for April 23-25 at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium. Madaleine Rubin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has reported the event is expected to draw 500,000-700,000 visitors, which should help the city generate millions in revenue. 

VisitPittsburgh president and CEO Jerad Bachar has told Rubin that it will be the "largest event Pittsburgh has ever hosted." 

Retaining Tomlin after another playoff loss may have led to greater pessimism among fans. The Steelers are entering a new chapter, which offers hope for the future; the city needs it before the highly anticipated three-day event.