The Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly working on a contract extension with head coach Mike Tomlin. A source with knowledge of the situation told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the Steelers' organization has no desire to make a change as head coach following the 2023 season.
Tomlin is already under contract through the 2024 season, so an extension would keep the 17-year head coach around for a minimum of two more seasons -- depending on what type of deal gets done. Tomlin is also reportedly already involved in the team's roster planning through 2025.
From Bengals-Steelers pregame, on Mike Tomlin: pic.twitter.com/WvUZ5bNXlT
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 23, 2023
This is an interesting decision, to say the least, and the timing of this report is most peculiar. After a three-game losing streak during the stretch of games that many would argue should have been their easiest of the season, this announcement comes just minutes before the Steelers are set to kick off their final home game of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Pittsburgh entered Week 16 with a 7-7 record and their odds of making the playoffs plummeted to just a 9 percent chance following the results of Week 15. If the Steelers don't make the playoffs this year, this will mark their seventh season in a row without so much as a single postseason win.
Steelers might be making a mistake sticking with Mike Tomlin
Mike Tomlin will also have the longest current postseason drought of any head coach still employed in the league. Look, we all know that Tomlin has had a legendary coaching career -- whether you want to chalk his early success up to talking of Bill Cowher's team or not.
Approaching two decades of head coaching without having a losing record is a pretty impressive statistic. But eventually, every team needs a change. Things have gotten incredibly stale in The Steel City, and you could argue that this team has gotten worse in six straight years.
We have seen good franchises like the Philadelphia Eagles part ways with an excellent head coach in Andy Reid only to win a Super Bowl with Doug Pederson shortly after his departure. There comes a time when even the best head coaches can overstay their welcome, and Robert Craft and the New England Patriots have learned just that when it comes to the legendary Bill Belichick.
Whether you like it or not, it certainly seems like the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to let Mike Tomlin walk away on his own terms -- regardless of how things go in the final three games of the season. Let's just hope this franchise can get back on track if Tomlin will be part of the future plans.