On Mike Tomlin's decision to leave the Steelers

"It was dead quiet" as the coach stunned the Steelers locker room.Here's what we know about what's next.

More dedicated, or more disappointed, fans remained in the bright yellow seats of Acrisure Stadium on a cloudy and stony night, Mike Tomlin walked off the field for the last time as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers just after 11pm on Monday.

A week earlier, he beat his chest and blew a kiss in victory, celebrating the AFC North title in earnest in front of a raucous crowd.A miraculous fourth season with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a missed field goal attempt at the Baltimore Ravens brought life to Tomlin's 2025 Steelers team, a chance to break a postseason losing drought.

Now, though, that hope and fanfare had evaporated after a tight wild-card game that ultimately turned into a 30-6 blowout against the Houston Texans.Tomlin made his way through groups of unconscious Pittsburgh players and employees, past benches and heaters, down the stairs and into the tunnel, with Rodgers close behind.

Tomlin walked a few yards, out of sight of cameras and fans who were demanding not only Rodgers' resignation but also his resignation, climbed two small steps, paused briefly, and then turned left and headed toward the locker room.As he passed a yellow checkered logo on a black rubberized floor, turned left and stepped into a spacious room with locker trees, he delivered his own words, immortalized in steel silver block letters hung on a black solid stone wall.“The Standard…is the Standard.”

As everyone left the field and entered the locker room, security closed the two black doors and created an outside world, just as Tomlin had always wanted.While it has become standard for broadcast networks to join winning teams in their dining rooms to film postgame celebrations, Tomlin has found a way to protect the sanctity of his room.When the cameras arrived, he stopped the post-match talk, but dismissed the players to meet again at the training center the next day.

To Tomlin, the only people who needed to hear his message were the ones who mattered most to him: his players.In his enduring consistency, Tomlin ended his 19-year tenure by dedicating his final day as the Steelers' head coach to these men.

Final Look (Monday 11pm)

Monday night, Tomlin's message was brief.He told the silent dressing room that this was not the time to talk.They would meet again the next day and leave from there."When you're in a one-game tournament, there's not a lot to talk about," he said in a postgame press conference. "You win or you go home."

No one listening to his message in the locker room could have predicted that this would happen less than 24 hours later.Ober One Reply on Tomlin's Postgame News Conference has several on Tomlin's Postgame News Conference has some on Tomlin's Postgame News Conference has some on Tomlin's Postgame News Conference has some on Tomlin's Postgame News Condition has some on Tomlin's Postgame News Note Stepsi, according to multiple sources.

Two years ago, after missing the wild-card in Buffalo, a defiant Tomlin walked away from the podium amid questions about his future.He didn't want to entertain the thought of not coaching the Steelers next season.But asked the same question after Monday night's wild-card loss, Tomlin stayed put and gave a measured answer.

“As I sit here tonight, I’m not even thinking about that,” he said."I'm thinking more about what happened on this pitch, especially what we did and didn't do. I'm not in a very good frame of mind as I sit here tonight."

For some who knew the 53-year-old, that answer foreshadowed what would become official the next day.

"He never gave an answer that held promise for the future," the former Steelers player told ESPN.

After completing his media duties, Tomlin will manage the media complex, including the team's practice rooms,BathroomsHe exited through a door that connected to the temporary offices and eventually the locker room.They found a room that was almost completely empty except for one player.

Defensive captain Cameron Hayward faced a deep ring of reporters and cameras in front of his cover, answering questions as his voice cracked with emotion.Tomlin stood outside the scrum several yards away, studying the man he had drafted in the first game 15 years ago.

"[Fans] don't know what Mike T brings to it," Heyward said that night in defense of his coach.“They don't know how he goes out of his way to prepare every guy.They don't know the countless nights the boy was there studying film.Coaches can do a lot, players have to play better.And in those critical moments, the players have to step up."

About 15 seconds later, Tomlin looked away, turned and walked out of the locker room alone, walking through the black double doors for the last time as the team's head coach before midnight.

Morning Truth (Tuesday, 5:30 a.m. to noon)

A little after 5:30 the next morning, Tomlin pulled up to the Steelers practice field in his blue Ford Bronco.Although he knew that the day would end differently than his work, he began to do so, with the arrival of the morning.

Among the scheduled meetings was Tomlin's regular morning end-of-season briefing with team president Art Rooney II.Tomlin, 73, was expected to outline his vision for how he and the franchise will move forward together.

But Tomlin saw something different in the organization. It was a future he didn't see coming.And while it wasn't the conversation Rooney was expecting, he wasn't surprised Tomlin made the decision.

"I wasn't shocked, but I didn't expect the decision yesterday," Rooney said on Wednesday."When you get to this stage of your career, obviously he mentioned it himself that he was closer to the end than he was at the beginning, and that's how it was coming....I was definitely ready to take another chance with Mike next year. And that's what I was trying to talk about yesterday, but it's clear that it went in a different direction."

The meeting with Rooney lasted no more than 20 minutes and ended hours before Tomlin was scheduled to meet with the team.

By noon, select few knew Tomlin would deliver the news to the players at 2 p.m.A meeting involving Tomlin's family, Rooney and general manager Omar KhanBefore the meeting, Tomlin spoke with spokesman Bert Lauten.The team released statements from Rooney and Tomlin after the meeting.

With the unknown franchise changing under their feet, the people in the house continued to do business normally.The Scouts have a meeting to prepare candidates for the future contract, the workers come in and out of the cafeteria for lunch, and players enter their bodies at the end of the season and to clean their masks.

Rodgers, still openly uncertain about his future, arranged mementos from his years in Pittsburgh in a closet in the corner of the room, smiling as he read cards and personal notes.Several staff members, media members and players approached him immediately, some with simple words of appreciation, others with a jersey, a Sharpie and a request.

Offensive lineman Andrus Peet pulled out a black Rogers jersey with the tag still attached.Rogers sifted through the store-bought merchandise and pulled a white game-worn sweater from a bag in his locker.He retrieved a silver Sharpie from the equipment room and wrote a message to Peet on black #8.

Elsewhere in the locker room, T.J.Watt, Miles Killebrew and Alex Highsmith sat tucked away in another corner by Watt's locker, chatting while killing time before the meeting.Tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith hugged and traded jerseys, while quarterback Will Howard and linebacker Jack Sawyer joked in the equipment room.

The room was subdued, as it often is after the end of the season without ceremony and discontent, but he was no stranger to seven straight postseason losses - six of them in the wild-card round.

Several players spoke to reporters, discussing the wild card loss, their personal growth during the season and Tomlin's value as their leader.

"The best coach I've ever played for, maybe the best," Freiermuth said."In my opinion, his message is not old. I believe him."

Kurt Warner joins Rich Eisen and explains why he was surprised by Mike Tomlin's decision to quit becoming Steelers coach.

Game of Thrones Farewell (Tuesday, 2pm)

A coach who has emphasized routine for two decades shows no signs of shocking the NFL world in a modest team meeting room.

He walked in the door quietly at 2. Tuesday, wearing his Steelers hat and long-sleeved shirt.The room was about 100 deep between players, coaches and support/staff.In front of a gold wall, a whiteboard and a projector, Tomlin brought up well-dressed themes about the sudden end of the season and the team's incredible effort.An effort.He discussed the results and the response.

But Tomlin couldn't hide his words for long: his delivery was less than his usual, according to two teams in the room.Little did the players and coaches know that Tomlin was about to turn.

Tomlin is an extraordinary wordsmith, a byproduct of his mother's thirst for education while raising him in Hampton, Virginia—most notably, an obsession with the world encyclopedia of books.So it's no surprise that Tomlin's lines struck a chord with the people in the room in different ways, with different memories.

You guys deserve better, and there's nothing I can do right now, a senior team source recalled Tomlin saying.

Someone else has to move the franchise forward, another team source reminded.

And one more thing, simple: it's better if I whisper.

One coaching source recalled Tomlin's "Game of Thrones" series to highlight the repressive nature of coaching — and winning — in the NFL.

“The faces of the coaches and players said one word: 'What?!'” a team source said of the moment's observation.“It was dead silent.”

The end was sudden.Tomlin broke down in tears, then took his usual stance after every meeting — standing outside the door, waving to everyone as they left.He shut up, hugged her, and left, the last symbol of normalcy for a franchise that had to redefine what it meant.

Tomlin took the blame on his last day.Those in the room knew it was mostly unnecessary, even ridiculous.

"He didn't have to say that. But Mike is," a coaching source said.

The meeting lasted less than half an hour, and by 2:30 p.m. the players had already left the parking lot.

Two hours later, just before 4:30 a.m., a light blue Ford Bronco pulled out of the gate and headed down Water Street.

The future: 'from the couch'

The raw emotion of the meeting was punctuated by a line Tomlin said during his formal farewell that stuck with one coaching source: "I'm not interested in coaching somebody else's team right now," a source recalled Tomlin saying at 2 p.m.meet.

The source felt that Tomlin was definitely not coaching in 2026 and could indeed take an extended break, but left the window slightly open for a possible return.

Long snapper Christian Kuntz, a Pittsburgh native, also took Tomlin's words to mean he won't be on the other side for the foreseeable future.

"Several" NFL teams have reached out to Tomlin about possible opportunities in the 2026 cycle, but a source revealed he won't be coaching them next season.

But Tomlin knows the power of reviving a career in the second act.That's because he talks about it often, the training source said.

"He talks a lot about 'coming off the bench' and coaches coming back from a game with new ideas and a 'different version' of themselves,'' a coaching source said. I don't know when, maybe a while. It looks like he really needs to rest.''

Adam Schefter breaks down future options for Mike Tomlin following his decision to step down as Steelers coach.

Rumors that Tomlin needed a break have been around for weeks, and a source close to Tomlin clarified that Tomlin's decision to leave was not made in haste.This was the likely outcome before the playoff loss to Houston, the source said, believing an exit became a possibility for the first time this summer.What he told the team 15 hours after Monday night's game underscored that fact.

— What is left to escape?the source said of Tomlin's mindset through it all."He's been going there for almost two decades. His kids are all grown up. It's time to reset."

Rooney said during a press conference Wednesday that Tomlin expressed his desire to spend more time with his family.

"Mike said he doesn't look forward to coaching, at least in the near future," Rooney said."I think he wants to spend time with his family and do some things that he hasn't been able to do in recent years. So if something like that (coaching again) comes up, we'll take it, but right now it doesn't seem like it's on his radar."

Which impacted large in tomlins future is whether he seriously entertaining orders from TV networks search for the next big stars search for the next big stars.Tomato, whose quick humor and delivery are ideal for studio-show analyst works, is known to have long-standing, informal offers from some networks, according to a industry source, according to an industry source.What exactly tomatum will do next is precarious, but the option is waiting for him, and the expectation is that he will hear at least as

"For now, he has something to keep the water competitive," the source said.

Multiple sources close to Tomlin say fan displeasure or lack of self-esteem were not factors in the decision."He only cared about his players, coaches and Rooney," said a source.

And if 2027 or 2028 marks Tomlin's desire to coach at the NFL level, potential teams will rejoice — as will coaching agents who understand the market reset in a major way.

The Steelers have his contract rights for one more season with the option of the year, which means that the team will pay for the chosen option in a trade, similar to the New Orleans Saints who sold Sean Payton to Denver in 2023 and received the first and second picks as part of the trade.

Tomlin can then choose a model that fits — whether it's a complete rebuild that he can tweak at will or inherit his predecessor's winning roster, like the Pittsburgh job he took over from Hall of Fame coach Bill Cowher in 2007.

In the past, Tomlin shared with those close to him that he would enjoy an opportunity to build a team from the ground up, even perhaps over an opportunity with a ready-made roster and infrastructure.

Fallout: Franchising at a Crossroads

Even if Tomlin leaves, ownership expectations won't change.Firing Rooney with a new coach doesn't mean the team will go through a comprehensive re-entry program, as the roster is closer to a rehab program as a rotational team.

"I'm not sure why you'd waste a year of your life not trying to fight," Rooney said."That's your list. It's different every year. So you work with what you have every year, push yourself to compete every month. Sometimes you have horses, sometimes you don't, but I think you try every year."

The roster, however, was notably empty at the quarterback position as the Steelers entered the offseason.

"We haven't had a quarterback in five years," a team source said.

Although two passengers have a fame's famesers coming on the position at the end of the position.Ben Roothlisbrager restrooms after 2021, while Rodgers, 42, you have played his last time in 2025.

Between Roethlisberger and Rodgers, the Steelers tried to find their next franchise signal caller from a random group of Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.Neither of those worked, leading the Steelers to sign Rodgers to a one-year deal in June 2025.

That leaves the Steelers in a position similar to what they've faced every offseason since Roethlisberger retired in January 2022: searching for a starting quarterback.And just like that time, the Steelers were looking for a quarterback at the wrong time.Not only is the 2026 quarterback class projected to have fewer draft picks than originally expected, but so the free agency and trade options appear to be weak.

The "Get Up" team is discussing the rebuilding process needed in Pittsburgh after Mike Tomlin's departure.

The next coach will also have to address quarterback questions and other raster issues.

The Steelers need another wide receiver to pair with DK Metcalf, the extremely talented but somewhat volatile star who was suspended for the final two games of the season after an altercation with a Detroit Lions fan.

And while the organization succeeded in returning Kenneth Gainville by signing him to a deal similar to the veteran last season, the team MVP and remaining free agent could prevent a return to Pittsburgh himself. Especially if the new head coach brings his own offensive coordination.

"There are some promising young forwards and some forwards, but not enough," said one member of the group.

The defense is aging at many points, and one AFC executive questioned whether Watt's big cap hit -- set at $42 million over the next two seasons -- will decrease as he approaches his 32nd birthday.

And according to sources, most of the thieves' assistant coaches no longer have contracts, indicating the uncertainty of the stylists' fate.

In addition to the list, the new head coach will also have to follow in the footsteps of the man who established and maintained the culture of the story organization for almost two decades, its mantras on the walls and printed on T-shirts.He will be tasked with trying to develop a conservative franchise that rejects modernity that can truly compete in 2026 and beyond.

In the days since his departure, Tomlin's shadow has loomed over one of the league's cornerstone franchises — and it may linger forever.

“Growing up since I was a kid, Mike Tomlin was Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin, and it was winning, winning, winning,” tight end Smith said.

"He embodies what the Pittsburgh Steelers are really about."