Mike Tomlin is making the media rounds as he begins his new career in broadcast. This comes after 19 seasons as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tomlin won a Super Bowl early in his tenure and was known for never having a losing season in Pittsburgh. However, fans began to clamor for change in recent years as the Steelers are without a playoff win since the 2016 season.
The former head coach appeared on “Today” and had a wide-ranging conversation covering many topics. One that came up was a question of the “best” team he coached in his 19 seasons.
His answer may surprise plenty of fans.
Mike Tomlin Names Surprise Team as ‘Best’ in Steelers Tenure
Tomlin named the 2015 Steelers as his top team. That is a surprise given his 2008 squad won the Super Bowl and the 2010 team went to the Super Bowl and lost to the Green Bay Packers. The 2015 team fell in the Divisional Round and did not even win the AFC North division.
The former Steelers head coach notes he picked the 2015 squad due to the overall talent on the roster. The downfall of the team was injuries, as both Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown missed the Divisional Round game against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
Their absences were a huge blow and put the offense in a tough spot against Denver. Martavis Bryant was both the leading rusher and receiver in the 23-16 loss. Fitzgerald Toussaint had 12 carries as well as the main Bell replacement.
Bell only appeared in six games that season due to suspension and a season-ending knee injury, while Brown had a career year with 1,834 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Fans will remember Brown’s injury in the Wild Card Round when Cincinnati Bengals defender Vontaze Burfict delivered a vicious hit to the head. The entire sequence allowed the Steelers to win the game late after a series of defensive penalties.
2015 Steelers Bounced Back but Never Reached the Mountaintop
The 2016 Steelers returned with that same talent and finished the regular season with an 11-5 record, advancing all the way to the AFC Championship Game. The team would fall to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, allowing Brady to engineer a legendary comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl.
That 2016 season marks the last time the Steelers won a playoff game, contributing to Tomlin’s exit from his role following the 2025 campaign.
The former head coach seems to be happy in his new media role and remains a top coaching candidate if he decides to return in 2027 or at any time in the near future.
Mike Tomlin Reveals ‘Best’ Steelers Team he Coached