Steelers may emerge as big winners from Patriots drama amid Mike Tomlin return rumors

Pittsburgh Steelers fans were begging for the organization to move on from Mike Tomlin for many seasons as the playoff drought continued. After the 2025 season and a 24-point home playoff loss, Tomlin granted their wishes on his own terms and decided to walk away from coaching. Many around the league viewed it as the end of an era in Pittsburgh, with the franchise entering a new phase and shifting toward a different direction both on and off the field. The Steelers haven't won a playoff game since the 2016 season and it appears that drought really started to weigh on Tomlin. He felt it was in the best interest of the franchise for him to step down. Now Mike McCarthy comes in as their fourth head coach since the 1969 season.

Many have highlighted the New England Patriots’ quick turnaround under Mike Vrabel, but drama has quickly followed as controversy surrounding cheating allegations have risen, according to reports tied to former NFL insider Dianna Russini. The Patriots have stated they are standing behind Vrabel, but speculation around the league suggests the situation is far from settled. If things continue to escalate, it could force New England into difficult long-term decisions at the head coaching position. It also could force Vrabel himself to elect to step down.

Rumors have indicated that if Vrabel were to step down, Tomlin could become part of the Patriots’ backup plan should he choose to return to coaching after taking a gig with NBC as an analyst. While it remains a long shot, the competitive drive of a coach like Tomlin is something many around the league believe never fully disappears. Steelers insider Christopher Carter noted that if such a scenario ever unfolded, Pittsburgh could stand to gain significantly. 

"This would be something to watch if the Patriots wanted to move on from Mike Vrabel," Carter said. "I've thought Vrabel was a very good coach for years and have a lot of respect what he did for the Titans. But the optics of what's come out in his personal life could very much get in the way of his work now and that could lead to some difficult decisions for himself. Do the Patriots want to go through with that? I imagine they're not rushing him out the door, but that with every new TMZ video, it's not helping their situation. Vrabel just had a team in the Super Bowl and isn't going to get chased out right now."

Obviously, Carter believes that right now Vrabel will remain the Patriots head coach for the foreseeable future, but it’s no secret this situation has weighed on him heavily. 

Even with the organization publicly backing him, the external noise and ongoing allegations have created an unstable backdrop that could become harder to ignore if it continues to grow. If Vrabel were ever to step away, the ripple effect could be significant, with the Steelers potentially seeing a major boost in value tied to Tomlin’s name in any coaching market scenario. 

"If this continues to blow up, maybe he steps down and the Patriots get desperate enough to want Tomlin," Carter said. "If Tomlin's on the market, I do think at least one first-round pick would be required. The Broncos got Sean Payton off the Saints for a first- and second-round pick. I imagine Tomlin would drive a similar price, and maybe even more considering how desperate the Patriots could be in such a scenario."

In that hypothetical world, Pittsburgh’s leverage would increase dramatically depending on how multiple teams view Tomlin’s availability and the broader coaching carousel across the league. 

Steelers trading Mike Tomlin remains unlikely

That said, the entire scenario remains highly unlikely. Tomlin has already stepped away from coaching for now, taken a TV role, and by all accounts appears to be enjoying retirement. Still, the NFL has a way of pulling elite coaches back in, and the idea of being handed a young roster led by a quarterback like Drake Maye could be the kind of opportunity that tests that resolve, even if most around the league view a return as a long shot at best. 

So much would have to happen, but it's an interesting situation for Steelers and Patriots fans to follow.