Mike Tomlin is stepping down as Pittsburgh Steelers coach, team owner Art Rooney II confirmed on Tuesday, Jan. 13, in a move that many saw coming but was nonetheless stunning given Tomlin’s stature as the longest-tenured coach in North American professional sports.
Tomlin is leaving the Steelers with two years remaining on his contract, according to ESPN, and his departure comes on the heels of another quick postseason exit. Pittsburgh’s wild-card loss to the Houston Texans on Monday was also Tomlin’s seventh playoff loss in a row, a skid that bred speculation about his job security.
But Tomlin, 53, never had a losing season as the Steelers coach and won Super Bowl 43 in the 2008 season, his second year on the job. He tied former Steelers coach Chuck Noll for ninth on the NFL’s all-time wins list when Pittsburgh won its Week 18 game over the Baltimore Ravens earlier this month to clinch the AFC North title and its 13th playoff appearance under Tomlin.
Tomlin’s colorful personality and longevity with the Steelers will make him a coveted figure this offseason, be it for a trade in pursuit of another NFL head coaching job or if he elects to take a job in broadcasting. His popularity, combined with the team’s polarizing performance in recent seasons, produced an emotional response to his decision to move on after almost two decades with the Steelers.
Here are some of the more notable social media reactions to Tomlin’s move to step down as Steelers coach:
Cheers to Mike Tomlin’s helluva run with the @steelers. Class act for a long time.
— Craig Melvin (@craigmelvin) January 13, 2026
Here’s my list of teams that SHOULDN’T fire their coach for Mike Tomlin: Pats, Texans, Jags, Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Bears, Packers, Vikings, Lions, Seahawks, Rams, Niners.
Everyone else should at least make the call.
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) January 13, 2026
Mike Tomlin was NOT fired. He’s voluntarily leaving the organization, so the #Steelers will retain his rights.
He would be in ultra high demand, should he still want to coach — even if he takes a year off. Translation: there is a scenario in which Pittsburgh could trade him… https://t.co/AsJAnS6Q8o
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 13, 2026
Mike Tomlin has been my head coach since I was 15 years old.
I am now 34 years old.
Mike Tomlin is an incredible human being, father and husband.
He has coached some of the most memorable moments in Pittsburgh Steelers history.
He has forever changed the lives of the…
— Jared Kane (@BaddestBearJew) January 13, 2026
John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin are legends, proven winners able to establish cultures of toughness, grit and physicality
That both coaches are available make this a remarkable moment in time
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 13, 2026
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike Tomlin stepping down: NFL reaction after coach leaves Steelers
