It may be a matter of when and not if Mike Tomlin gets back into coaching after stepping down from his role as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
And if that's the case, then the blueprint is already out there for the Pittsburgh Steelers to benefit in a big way from his return. Because the Steelers still own Tomlin's rights (he had one year left on his contract), the door is open for them to trade him when he wants to get back into coaching.
Just three years ago, the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints showed us just how valuable that final year of team control can be.
Broncos' trade for Sean Payton could be the blueprint for future Pittsburgh Steelers-Mike Tomlin trade
Back in the 2023 offseason, the Denver Broncos hired Sean Payton as their next head coach, but it wasn't as easy as winning a bidding war against other teams recruiting Payton. Of course, the Saints had to give Payton permission to interview with teams, and then there was the complication of completing a trade with the Saints, who weren't just going to let Payton out of his contract without getting something in return.
The Broncos sent the Saints a 2023 1st-round pick and a 2024 2nd-round pick in exchange for Payton and a 2024 3rd-round pick. So the Broncos not only got Payton, but they also didn't come away from the trade empty-handed.
And that trade, given the fact that Payton was 59 years old when it was made, may only be a baseline for a future Mike Tomlin blockbuster deal. Whatever team decides they're willing to trade for Tomlin might not get any picks back, if you catch my drift.
Tomlin's decision to step down as opposed to the Steelers firing him has left the door open for Pittsburgh to get some significant value in the future, but the gratification is going to be delayed. The good news for the Steelers is that the 2027 NFL Draft is expected to be absolutely loaded with blue-chip prospects, including quarterback Arch Manning.
It's way too early to know where the Steelers will be as an organization a year from now, but the idea of adding a second selection in the first round of the 2027 NFL Draft is extremely appealing, and the Sean Payton trade with Denver tells us that the Steelers will be able to get even more draft darts to throw down the line.
With the Steelers facing a significant rebuild in the near future, those potential assets could become mission-critical.