Steelers rumors: Mike Tomlin will never be fired, will leave on his own terms

Don't underestimate the pull that a great head coach has in the NFL. Take Bill Belichick, for example. Since becoming the head coach of the New England Patriots in 2000, Belichick has become untouchable thanks to his impressive record in postseason success. Owner Robert Kraft has given Belichick almost complete control of the team as he is both the head coach and the general manager.

Belichick's resume is so strong at this point that the owner and the organization cater to his demands. Now Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin could be taking a play from Belichick's playbook.

Recently, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic joined The Cook and Joe Show on 93.7 The Fan to discuss the Steelers ahead of training camp. When talking about Mike Tomlin, Kaboly is convinced ed that the only way the Steelers head coach is leaving is on his own terms. Here's what he had to say about the subject of Tomlin's eventual departure.

"The only way Mike Tomlin leaves [the Pittsburgh Steelers] is if Mike Tomlin chooses to leave the Pittsburgh Steelers. for him to be fired... it's just never going to happen."

- Mark Kaboly via 93.7 The Fan

We know that Mike Tomlin isn't going to stick around forever. The question then becomes: what happens when he decides to call it quits? Kaboly thinks we have the answer, and it's not hard to understand why.

Mike Tomlin will decide when it's time to leave the Steelers

Not many coaches last as long as Bill Belichick in the NFL -- especially with one team. considering that Tomlin started his head coaching career with Pittsburgh back in 2007, it's probably safe to assume that his 10-year could be coming to an end sometime in the near future.

Obviously, this isn't guaranteed to be the case. If the Steelers turn things around and start seeing postseason success, Tomlin could decide to extend his stay. However, even if Pittsburgh continues to fall short of expectations in the playoffs, it's unlikely that the Rooney's will send him packing. Tomlin has still been a part of two Super Bowls and led his team to one Super Bowl victory -- not to mention the Steelers have had one of the best records in the NFL since he joined the team.

The fact of the matter is that Mike Tomlin has joined extremely rare company when it comes to NFL head coaches. when you can go 16 straight Seasons without a losing record in the NFL, it's going to come with some benefits. In addition to his head coaching duties, Tomlin plays a big role in The Scouting Trail when it comes to the NFL Draft.

At this stage in his career and with all of his accomplishments, Tomlin essentially has diplomatic immunity. No matter what happens in the coming years, I agree with Mark Kaboli. When Mike Tomlin leaves the Pittsburgh Steelers, it will be on his own terms.