The report Wednesday that Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin wouldn’t be getting a contract extension this offseason was pretty surprising externally, but for GM Omar Khan it’s not a big deal.
Speaking with reporters Thursday following the first walkthrough session of Steelers training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Khan downplayed the lack of a contract extension for Tomlin, stating that the extension stuff with Tomlin is above his pay grade.
“Yeah, that’s not my department, but I anticipate coach and I are gonna be here together for a long time,” Khan said to reporters Thursday, according to video via the Steelers official YouTube page. “Him and I have a great relationship personally and professionally. That’s not my business. That’s his, not my department. But, I anticipate both of us will be here for a long time.”
Prior to Wednesday’s report from Gerry Dulac, Tomlin was in line for another extension based on the way the Steelers like to do business. Tomlin has two years left on his contract, which would keep him with the organization through the 2024 season, putting him at the helm for 20 seasons to that point.
Previously, Tomlin signed a three-year extension in April 2021, just months after the Steelers lost to the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Wild Card round after winning the AFC North. That three-year extension was a bit out of the norm, considering the Steelers like to do a one-year extension plus an option with coaches.
While the Steelers have struggled in recent seasons, going 18-16-1, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Wild Card round after the 2021 season and missing the playoffs this past season, the belief from those inside and outside of the organization is that Tomlin is doing a great job overall in this period of transition and has the franchise headed in the right direction.
Khan spoke highly of Tomlin on Thursday, too, stating that the veteran head coach — who will land in the Pro Football Hall of Fame when it’s all said and done — was a tremendous resource in his first year as general manager of the Steelers, and was a great person to just be around and learn from, something he aims to do moving forward for a long time together.
“This year was so awesome for me personally. Doing it with him was just…he made it even that much more special,” Khan said. “He was a great resource for me when I had questions and he’s very, as you guys know, coach is all football. He’s very knowledgeable about the game. He lives and dies football.
“He was just a great person for me to lean on when I needed to lean on. He was a great partner. We worked well together, and I hope we’re doing it for a long time together.”
Though the decision to hold off on an extension for Tomlin is a bit of a surprise considering the reports earlier in the offseason, that doesn’t mean Tomlin is all of a sudden on the hot seat or on the way out the door, whether on his own accord or from the Steelers. The Steelers believe in stability, and that’s what Tomlin provides them.
Therefore, even without a contract ahead of the 2023 season, Tomlin isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Nor is he showing signs of slowing down as head coach or losing passion for the game from a teaching standpoint. While Khan is still establishing himself as the GM of the Steelers franchise, he’s been around the block a time or two with the franchise.
While the decision to extend Tomlin rests with owner Art Rooney II, there’s a confidence there that Tomlin will be the head coach for as long as he wants in Pittsburgh, as it should be. The Steelers are shaped back into what Tomlin envisions in a football team moving forward. Now it’s time to add to the trophy case in the Steel City.
