Mike Tomlin appears to be greatly enjoying his new role as an analyst following 19 seasons as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
One positive is that he doesn’t have to answer for the team’s inactivity at the trade deadline. Instead, he can put all his attention toward heading to Cincinnati this weekend as part of NBC’s coverage of the Steelers and Bengals in primetime.
This is a notable trip for the former head coach as it means he will face a fanbase that his Steelers dominated for nearly two decades. He went 28-11, including a playoff win, against the Bengals.
NBC held a conference call Wednesday to preview the game and Tomlin talked on a variety of topics. His NBC colleague, Devin McCourty, chimed in with an interesting thing to keep an eye on Sunday night.
Bengals Fans vs. Mike Tomlin
Steelers reporter Alan Saunders shared what McCourty pondered on the call.
“I’m excited to see if Mike Tomlin gets booed this week — if people hate him, if they throw something at him,” McCourty said, per Saunders.
As mentioned, Tomlin’s Steelers dominated the Bengals for nearly two decades. If anything, Bengals fans may be thrilled to see Tomlin at the broadcast desk as opposed to on the sidelines.
The playoff victory for Tomlin over the Bengals came in the 2015 postseason when a series of defensive penalties led to a late Cincinnati collapse. The Steelers would go on to lose the following week against the Denver Broncos.
It’s possible some Bengals fans give Tomlin a hard time. He may just not be enough of a villain to warrant anything being thrown in his direction.
Major Question Surrounding Former Steelers Head Coach
NFL reporters, teams, and fans alike all have one question when it comes to Tomlin. Does he plan to return to coaching in 2027?
He addressed that on the call as well, saying: “I haven’t given one iota of thought to coaching,” per Nick Farabaugh.
The longtime Steelers head coach is visibly enjoying his work at NBC and even took to YouTube to show off his Minecraft skills. He is getting to enjoy a more normal schedule after a lifetime in the game of football, and it’s hard to blame him for not wanting to rush back into coaching.
He will be in attendance Sunday night as the Steelers and Bengals square off for sole possession in the AFC North. Both teams enter at 6-2 and a win would also go a long way toward a potential bye in the AFC playoffs.
Analyst Wonders if Mike Tomlin Will Receive Jeers During Steelers-Bengals