Sad news: Pittsburgh Steelers Head coach Mike Tomlin announce departure saying ” I’m keen to leave regarding….
Mike Tomlin has never endured a losing season in his 17 years at the helm of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it’s currently unclear if he’ll be back for an 18th.
The Steelers lost to the Buffalo Bills during Super Wild Card Weekend, which marked the seventh consecutive season in which they failed to win a playoff game. They haven’t been to the AFC Championship Game since 2016, haven’t reached a Super Bowl since 2010 and haven’t won it all since Tomlin captured his lone ring during his second season in 2008.
It’s been a rough stretch for the storied organization, which could result in a regime change as early as this offseason. Tomlin is heading into the final year of his contract, but his refusal to answer a question regarding his future during Monday’s postgame press conference—he walked off before the reporter could finish asking it—has fueled speculation about his potential departure.
Tomlin told Steelers players Tuesday that “the speculation about him is unfounded and he plans on coaching the team in 2024,” sources told NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo. But if the Steelers do part ways with the 51-year-old, they will find themselves in the rather unfamiliar position of conducting a head coaching search.
Tomlin was just the third coach to take the reins in Pittsburgh since Chuck Noll was hired in 1969. The franchise has plenty of allure, and it should draw heavy interest from some of the top candidates this hiring cycle if the job opens up.
With that in mind, here are the five top head coaching options the Steelers could explore this offseason if they choose to move on from Tomlin.
No. 5: Eric Bieniemy, Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator
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The Washington Commanders began their offseason with a regime change, firing head coach Ron Rivera and bringing in Adam Peters as general manager.
While the holdovers from Rivera’s staff are still in place, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy could soon move on.
Bieniemy could be a popular O.C. interview this offseason, but the longtime Andy Reid understudy should also wind up as a head coaching candidate. The Steelers should give him real consideration for the latter position if it becomes vacant.
The 54-year-old landed on Reid’s coaching staff in 2013 as a running backs coach and moved up to become the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive coordinator in 2018. He won a pair of Super Bowls in that position before accepting a chance to become Washington’s play-caller ahead of the 2023 campaign. While the Commanders struggled through an ugly 4-13 season, the offense fared rather well early in the year.
Washington finished the season ranked 24th in total offense and 25th scoring, but it eclipsed the 20-point mark in eight of its first 10 games despite having inexperienced quarterback Sam Howell under center.
During that 10-game stretch, the second-year signal-caller completed 66.5 percent of his throws for 2,783 yards and 17 touchdowns. While he still had his flaws—he threw nine interceptions and lost two fumbles in that span—there should be little doubt that Bienemy maximized the talents of the fifth-rounder.
Bieniemy could have a similarly positive impact on Kenny Pickett, who needs a strong offensive coach to shepherd his development as he prepares for a critical third season.
No. 4: Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans Offensive Coordinator
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The Houston Texans were widely projected to be one of the NFL’s worst teams in 2023, yet they’re now one of the eight still in contention for this year’s Super Bowl.
This meteoric rise likely wouldn’t have happened if not for key contributions from rising star offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.
The 36-year-old may just be getting his coaching career started, but he could have a huge impact on the Steelers if they moved on from Tomlin.
Slowik was a relative unknown heading into the 2023 season, coming over from the San Francisco 49ers as part of first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans’ staff.
The two worked together under Kyle Shanahan before Ryans offered Slowik—who served as the Niners’ passing game coordinator in 2022—a chance to shine as Houston’s offensive coordinator.
Slowik didn’t disappoint despite inheriting an offense that ranked 31st in total yardage and 30th in points scored last year. He improved those marks to 12th and 13th, respectively, while developing rookie passer C.J. Stroud into a star.
The Texans finished the regular season with the seventh-ranked passing offense. That potent aerial attack was on full display when Stroud went 16-of-21 for 274 yards and three touchdowns during a 45-14 trouncing of the Cleveland Browns last week.
Stroud praised Slowik’s input, telling ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime:
“[Slowik] helped me tremendously. He’s one of the people I appreciate because he’s honest with me. He holds me accountable game in and game out, no matter how good people say [I played] — he always has a coaching point or two to hit, and he’s always honest, which I appreciate.”
That sort of tutelage could do wonders in Pittsburgh, especially with Kenny Pickett entering a make-or-break third season. The 2022 first-round pick has struggled thus far in his career, but there’s still some hope he can become a franchise signal-caller with the right support system around him.
Hiring Slowik could be exactly what the Steelers need to rejuvenate the quarterback’s career and jump-start a flailing offense.
No. 3: Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator
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The Detroit Lions won their first playoff game since the 1991 season after orchestrating a statement victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
That win was a culmination of a long rebuilding effort, culture change and scheme implemented not only by head coach Dan Campbell, but also offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Johnson has rapidly emerged as one of the most coveted head coaching candidates thanks to his role in Detroit’s stunning turnaround. As the architect of an offense that has ranked in the top five in both points scored and total yardage in both of his two seasons, he has shown he has the skills and system to win in the NFL.
Not only is the 37-year-old’s team putting up big numbers in a flashy fashion, but he’s a key reason why a rookie tight end led the position in touchdown catches (Sam LaPorta), a fourth-round wideout has evolved into a superstar (Amon-Ra St. Brown) and the career of a quarterback who seemed closer to being out of the league than a Pro Bowler two years ago has been rehabilitated (Jared Goff).
While Johnson may not have any ties to the Steelers—he came up through the Miami Dolphins organization before joining the Lions in 2019—his fresh vantage point could be the shot in the arm Pittsburgh needs right now. Its offense finished 25th in total yardage this past season and hasn’t fielded a top-five unit in a half-decade.
Johnson could be the right hire to fix Pickett after the once-promising first-round pick regressed and was ultimately benched this past season. He could get the most out of a gifted but inconsistent pass-catcher in George Pickens and develop Pat Freiermuth into one of the NFL’s most prolific tight ends.
Those players have all shown flashes under Tomlin, but they likely need a top-tier offensive mind like Johnson to maximize their talents.
No. 2: Mike Vrabel, Former Tennessee Titans Head Coach
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Mike Vrabel was one of the year’s more surprising Black Monday casualties. While he failed to lead the Tennessee Titans to the playoffs in either of the last two seasons, he had earned Coach of the Year honors in 2021, took his team to the AFC Championship Game in the 2019 season and seemed generally well-regarded by both his players and observers.
Tennessee’s decision to axe the 48-year-old reportedly stemmed in part from ownership’s fear that he would jump ship to the New England Patriots, the franchise where he spent most of his playing career and won three Super Bowls as a key member of the linebacking corps.
While that didn’t come to fruition after the Patriots hired Jerod Mayo to replace Bill Belichick, Vrabel could still land with another one of his former teams in the Steelers.
He began his 14-year NFL career with Pittsburgh as a third-round pick in 1997. He played for the organization for four seasons, most notably strip-sacking Drew Bledsoe in the playoffs as a rookie to secure a divisional-round victory over New England. While the rest of his tenure was relatively quiet, he could make a splash upon returning to western Pennsylvania as a head coach.
The defensive-minded Vrabel would be a good fit with the Steelers due to his preference to pound the rock on the ground, play hard-nosed defense and create turnovers to grind out victories.
While the Titans struggled with a run-first and predictable offense, hiring the right coordinator to call offensive plays could hide Vrabel’s flaws and allow the team to flourish on both sides of the ball.
No. 1: Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Wolverines Head Coach
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Jim Harbaugh is riding the high of finally guiding his Michigan Wolverines to a national title after nine seasons at the helm. He could now make the leap back to the NFL in search of new challenges.
There may be no better spot to make his long-awaited return to the professional ranks than with the Steelers. Pittsburgh desperately needs a creative mind like Harbaugh to jump-start an offense that ranked 25th in yardage and 28th in scoring, the lowest marks of any playoff team in 2023.
The 60-year-old’s last foray into the NFL—a four-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers between 2011-14—resulted in a 44-19-1 record, three playoff trips and one NFC Championship Game victory.
His Niners teams utilized a efficient power rushing attack, which never ranked outside the top 10 and finished in the top five in each of his final three campaigns, to wear down opponents. It’s an old-school approach, but it plays to the strengths of the current Pittsburgh roster.
There’s clearly some interest on Harbaugh’s side regarding an NFL return, even with reports coming out that he’s currently negotiating a contract extension with the Wolverines. He met with the Los Angeles Chargers earlier in the week and should draw plenty of interest from other franchises with coaching vacancies. The Steelers could throw their hat in that ring if they decide to move on from Tomlin in the near future.
If Harbaugh does get tapped as the Steelers’ next coach, he’d find himself in the same division as his brother, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
The two last met in the NFL during Super Bowl XLVII, a game that John’s side narrowly won in thrilling fashion, and it would make the annual Pittsburgh-Baltimore matchups even more electric.
