Why Indiana's Curt Cignetti isn't a logical successor for Mike Tomlin with Steelers

Curt Cignetti has Pittsburgh ties, but he doesn't fit the current NFL head coach mold 

For starters, hiring Cignetti — a Pittsburgh native who played football at nearby West Virginia University — would run counter to both the Steelers’ historical preferences and what most NFL teams seek in a head coach today. 

If Cignetti were 20 — or even 10 — years younger, the discussion would look very different. But the reality is that the NFL has become a younger man’s game on the sidelines.

If Cignetti made the jump, he would be the second-oldest head coach in the league, trailing only Kansas City's Andy Reid, who is 67. Pete Carroll, 74, was dismissed by the Las Vegas Raiders after just one season — a recent reminder of how little patience teams have for coaches hired late in their careers. By contrast, the Steelers have long prioritized youth and longevity for a head coach.. 

Tomlin was 34 when he was hired, as was his predecessor, Bill Cowher. Chuck Noll was just 37 when the Steelers hired him in 1969, making him the youngest head coach in the NFL at the time.

Pittsburgh has consistently sought to build long-term relationships with its head coaches and, unlike many franchises, has shown little interest in short-term fixes. Cignetti, impressive as his college résumé may be, simply does not fit that mold.

Curt Cignetti's philosophy wouldn't mesh with veteran NFL players 

Beyond his age, Cignetti’s “never smile” philosophy is an old-school approach that has, somewhat surprisingly, worked wonders with modern college athletes navigating the NIL era. But part of that success stems from Indiana’s willingness to pour unprecedented resources into the program, assembling a championship-caliber roster that includes Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. 

That’s not to say Cignetti doesn’t deserve significant credit for leading the Hoosiers to a program-record 26 wins in two seasons — he absolutely does. Still, college football is far less balanced than the NFL. No professional team enjoys the kind of overwhelming talent advantage that routinely separates college football’s elite from the rest of the field.

Cignetti embarking on a comparable NFL run would be incredibly unlikely, especially right away. 

College coaches enjoying NFL success has actually been rare 

History also argues against Cignetti — or almost any college coach — seamlessly dominating in the NFL. Only Jimmy Johnson, Carroll (who went from the NFL to college and then back again) and Barry Switzer have won both a college national championship and a Super Bowl. 

Even Nick Saban, a mentor to Cignetti and a seven-time national champion at the college level, struggled to translate his approach to the NFL during his two seasons as Miami Dolphins HC. 

A jump to the NFL would also represent a significant risk for Cignetti, who is under an eight-year contract paying him $11.6 million annually.

At Indiana, he can continue leveraging the financial backing of billionaire boosters like Mark Cuban to compete for championships. In the NFL, he would be required to operate within a hard salary cap and accept a much longer, less forgiving path to the sport’s summit. 

So while nothing should be taken away from Cignetti as a coach — he will likely earn his rightful place in the College Football Hall of Fame someday — the Steelers would be wise to look elsewhere.