The New York Giants have officially hired John Harbaugh as their next head coach. But the organization didn’t do that without first checking in on Mike Tomlin’s status.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Sunday someone within the Giants ownership touched based with the former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach during the team’s head coaching search.
“The Giants also checked in on one of Harbaugh’s long-time AFC North rivals,” Pelissero said on NFL GameDay. “Sources say a member of the Giants’ ownership reached out to Mike Tomlin shortly after Tomlin stepped down as the Steelers head coach on Tuesday.
“Tomlin reiterated the same thing that he’s told everybody else — he does not plan to coach in 2026.”
Pelissero emphasized during his report that Harbaugh was New York’s main target since the start of the coaching search. But clearly, at least one member of the Giants organization still wanted to consider Tomlin.
A day after losing to the Houston Texans in the AFC wild card round, Tomlin stepped down as Steelers head coach. In 19 seasons, Tomlin posted a 193-114-2 record.
He also went 8-12, winning two AFC championships and one Super Bowl, in the postseason.
How Mike Tomlin Could Have Fit With Giants
It’s not super shocking at least one member of the Giants pursued Tomlin. Had Tomlin and Harbaugh been searching for a new head coaching job at the same time, organizations interested in one would have naturally also liked the other.
Tomlin and Harbaugh each experienced tremendous success managing their organizations in similar manners over 15-plus seasons in the AFC North. Each head coach fits the “CEO” head coaching profile as opposed to an offensive guru or Xs and Os genius.
Behind that coaching philosophy, Tomlin and Harbaugh both won a Super Bowl. But more recently, each coach also struggled to get “over the hump.”
Tomlin lost his final seven postseason games with the Steelers. Harbaugh posted a better overall playoff record, but he didn’t lead the Ravens to the Super Bowl with MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.
For those reasons, Tomlin and Harbaugh would have been great fits in most of the same places this offseason. Likewise, teams who preferred to hire an offensive play-calling head coach or someone who has been on a staff that’s won championships lately wouldn’t have targeted either Tomlin or Harbaugh.
It would have been fascinating to see Tomlin and Harbaugh go toe-to-toe over the Giants head coaching gig. They met as head coaches on the field 40 times over 18 years, which set a new modern-day NFL record.
But Tomlin bowed out.
Tomlin to Spend More Time With Family
Steelers team president Art Rooney II told reporters Wednesday that Tomlin’s departure from the organization was more for personal reasons than football.
Pretty much every report since then has confirmed that idea.
ESPN cameras caught Tomlin at a University of Georgia gymnastics event in Athens Friday night. Tomlin’s daughter is on the team.
The former head coach then attended the Bulldogs men’s basketball game Saturday.
It’s not surprising an NFL team double checked with Tomlin to make sure he doesn’t want to coach in 2026. But clearly, Tomlin is already taking advantage of his free time to see family.
Mike Tomlin Turned Down Head Coaching Interest From NFC Foe: Report