In a surprising move this spring, legendary Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl-winning head coach Mike Tomlin announced he was resigning from his position following the Steelers’ embarrassing 30-6 home playoff loss to the Texans. Pittsburgh managed to beat the Ravens in the regular season finale to win the AFC North and punch their ticket to the playoffs, but ultimately they didn’t have the juice against stiffer competition.
It was, perhaps, not a terribly surprising move from Tomlin. In fact, things had been trending this way for a while. The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016, and though Tomlin built a reputation for overachieving with less-talented rosters and never had a losing season in his 19 years in Pittsburgh, he was also unable to elevate his units into the tier of the truly competitive during his final years in Pittsburgh.
Right now, Tomlin is a TV analyst for NBC, primarily working with the Football Night in America crew for pre- and post-game coverage for Sunday Night Football. But it’s no secret that he plans on getting back into coaching next year, and now there’s an update on his potential next stop.
Former Steelers HC Mike Tomlin’s New Career Opportunity
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 28: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts as he leaves the field during halftime against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on December 28, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
According to Jason La Canfora, the Jets are primed to be Tomlin’s big suitors. In fact, Jets owner Woody Johnson might already be laying the groundwork to pull out all the stops to get Tomlin to New York.
“Woody is starting to ask a lot of questions; he’s doing his homework on Tomlin,” said one executive who knows Jets owner Woody Johnson well, via La Canfora. “This one has legs. I’m telling you. Mike is in New York at Rockefeller Center for NBC, Woody is back in charge at the facility, and he knows how steep the competition will be. You are going to hear a lot about the Jets.”
Of course, the Jets already have a head coach: Aaron Glenn. Though his first season in New York was a rough one, he was brought in to oversee a brutal rebuild, and the roster is in a much better shape this year.
“Glenn is a dead man walking, and he knows it,” one general manager noted, via La Canfora. “I hear the same thing about Woody wanting Tomlin. It makes complete sense— money won’t be an object.”
This makes a lot of sense. Woody is known for being an impulsive, attention-seeking owner always on the hunt for the splash move. Of course, bringing in Tomlin, one of the best head coaches in the sport, is more than just a splash move. It just might be a great one.
Will the Pittsburgh Steelers Be Better in the Post-Mike Tomlin Era?
GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – DECEMBER 21: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on December 21, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Who knows? That’s difficult to say, but it’ll be hard for new Steelers HC Mike McCarthy to have the same, consistent success Tomlin had in Pittsburgh.
The better question might be: will this be enough of a shake-up for better results down the line? That’s certainly possible.
Steelers Legend Mike Tomlin Center of ‘Expensive’ New Coaching Search: Insider