When questioned about his future with the team, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin left his postgame press conference, but supporters need not be concerned.
When he abruptly left the platform during a question regarding his current contract and future with the Pittsburgh Steelers, it appeared as though he was trying to avoid answering the issue. The query was raised after the team’s disappointing 31-17 Super Wild Card Weekend loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Having led one team for 17 years, Tomlin has the longest tenure of any head coach in the NFL. Despite his obvious frustration, the question itself was perhaps less important than the game’s outcome.
Tomlin has been colder than Buffalo’s weather during the playoffs in the past few years, despite having won a Super Bowl in 2008 and losing one in 2010. The team’s seven-year postseason winless streak, which dates back to 2016, is the longest in the team’s history since the NFL merger. During that time, Pittsburgh’s five straight playoff losses also tied the league record for the second-longest ongoing playoff losing streak.
The long-time coach is unlikely to be leaving the Steelers anytime soon, even with their recent postseason troubles and Tomlin appearing to run away from a question on his immediate future with the team (his current contract expires after the 2024 season). The Steelers operate in this manner by design.
Despite his questionable statistics and the circulating speculations that he will decide his future with the team at the end of the season, Steeler fans shouldn’t wish or expect any changes at the top.
With the spare parts he’s been dealing with recently, Tomlin has still managed to keep the Steelers competitive year in and year out while maintaining his record of 17 seasons to begin a coaching career without a losing campaign. Tomlin made frequent trips to the AFC Championship Game when he had an elite roster.
