It's not hard to find Pittsburgh Steelers players who are willing to give Mike Tomlin a glowing endorsement. After 19 consecutive years with the franchise, Tomlin is currently the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL with one team... and the players love him.
Recently, Coach Tomlin's job security has come into question. Leading up to the Steelers' Week 18 regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens, ESPN insider Adam Schefter suggested the losing team could cut ties with its head coach. This is ultimately what happened in a game decided by a 44-yard missed kick from rookie kicker Tyler Loop, as the Ravens relieved John Harbaugh of his duties.
But if you ask the players, they don't want Tomlin to go anywhere.
Just before the Steelers' Wild Card game against the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football, tight end Darnell Washington spoke with NFL insider Jordan Schultz to share his thoughts on Tomlin.
"He shows how much he loves the game... He's a competitor. Then, you know, he's also a player's coach. He listens to you."
"Mike 'T', to me? Best head coach I ever played for. One thousand percent."
Pittsburgh Steelers players don't want Mike Tomlin to go anywhere
There's always at least some reason to doubt the validity of these types of responses. Washington is under contract with the Steelers through the 2026 season. What's he supposed to say when asked about Tomlin? That he thinks the team should move in a different direction.
But beyond simply giving the cliche answers, Steelers players continually rally behind Coach 'T'. Washington's comments are merely the latest example of many.
The third-year tight end out of Georgia didn't share anything Steelers fans didn't already know: Tomlin is a player's coach. His message resonates with his players, and nearly everyone seems to love to play for him. Among a long list of complaints from fans in recent years, this remains one of Tomlin's positive coaching qualities.
This brings us to a potentially painful conversation that lies ahead. If the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the Houston Texans tonight, is Tomlin's job in jeopardy? Despite leading his team to an AFC North title over a suspect division in 2025, the Steelers are desperately trying to avoid a nine-year drought without a playoff win.
If Pittsburgh falls short in the postseason yet again, will the players' endorsement of Tomlin be enough for the long-term head coach to stick around?
With a Steelers win tonight, you can bet that Tomlin isn't going anywhere in 2026. However, a loss brings us back to square one. Mike Tomlin has one year remaining on his contract, and the team needs to decide whether to pick up his 2027 option by March 1.
It might not matter how much his players go to bat for their head coach if this team can't start producing results in the postseason.