The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ 19-year run with Mike Tomlin ended one day after an ugly playoff loss, with fans calling for his job and another season ending without a postseason victory.
The timing made it easy to believe those frustrations had finally caught up to him. Pittsburgh had gone nine straight seasons without winning a playoff game, and “Fire Tomlin” chants had followed the coach through his final weeks on the sideline.
But Tomlin isn’t buying the suggestion that the fans or those playoff failures drove him out. Nine months after stepping down, he’s offering his side of the decision.
More Steelers On Heavy: Former Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin Makes Personal Admission in GQ Interview
Mike Tomlin Disputes Claim About His Steelers Exit
In a wide-ranging interview with GQ’s Jake Nevins published Wednesday, Tomlin addressed the circumstances surrounding his January departure. He rejected the idea that growing dissatisfaction in Pittsburgh was responsible.
“I’m just a realist, and there’s a shelf life for everything, my tenure included,” Tomlin said.
“I’d rather leave early than stay too long.”
It’s a different explanation from the one many fans might have assumed after Pittsburgh’s 30-6 wild-card loss to the Houston Texans on Jan. 12. The Steelers struggled offensively throughout that defeat, which became their seventh consecutive postseason loss. They had won four of their previous five games to clinch the AFC North, but that late push ended with another early exit.
The crowd’s frustration had also been building well before Houston came to town. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported that fans called for Tomlin’s dismissal during the fourth quarter, the second time in six weeks the chants had been heard at Acrisure Stadium.
Yet Tomlin wasn’t fired. He informed team president Art Rooney II of his decision on Jan. 13, and in his farewell statement, he thanked Steelers fans for their loyalty and high expectations.
His latest remarks suggest he viewed the end of his tenure as a matter of timing rather than outside pressure.
Steelers’ Playoff Drought Loomed Over Mike Tomlin’s Departure
The criticism had roots in what kept happening every January. Tomlin never had a losing season in 19 years and finished 193-114-2 in the regular season. He guided Pittsburgh to eight AFC North titles, 13 playoff appearances and a victory in Super Bowl XLIII.
But the Steelers hadn’t won a postseason game since the 2016 season. They lost their final seven postseason games under Tomlin, an increasingly difficult stretch for a franchise with six Super Bowl championships.
Tomlin also walked away with time remaining on his contract, rather than waiting for his deal to expire. Rooney made clear after Tomlin stepped down that the decision belonged to the coach.
As NFL.com’s Nick Shook reported, Rooney acknowledged on Jan. 14 that he hadn’t expected that particular conversation, though he recognized that Tomlin’s lengthy tenure couldn’t last forever.
Rooney also indicated that Tomlin wanted to spend time with his family instead of immediately pursuing another coaching position.
That part has played out. Tomlin joined NBC’s “Football Night in America” this season, moving from the Steelers’ sideline into television. He also told GQ about finally attending family events that his coaching schedule had kept him from for years. As for coaching again, he hasn’t committed to a return.
Pittsburgh has since moved forward with Mike McCarthy, while Tomlin watches the league from a different seat. Fans can still debate whether a coaching change was overdue. Tomlin, though, has made his position clear: The final decision was about recognizing when his time in Pittsburgh had run its course.
Steelers’ Mike Tomlin Makes Telling Admission About Pittsburgh Exit