Anticipation is high entering the start of training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The roster looks to be in great shape top to bottom, young players are poised to take a significant leap, and for the first time in a few years it feels like the Steelers can really be a competitive team and make some noise in the playoffs.
Yet, all anyone seems to be talking about is the Mike Tomlin contract extension, or lack thereof.
Tomlin, of course, didn’t receive a contract extension this offseason after months of speculation that he would. That’s led some to question Tomlin’s future with the Black and Gold, but owner Art Rooney II followed suit with Tomlin’s comments Wednesday and GM Omar Khan’s comments Thursday, downplaying the lack of an extension and stating that Tomlin will be with the Steeler as head coach for a long time.
“We’ve done the contract at different points, and people seem to read more into that than is warranted. The contract will get done when it needs to get done,” Rooney said to Mike Prisuta for Steelers Live Thursday afternoon. “I do, as Omar said, I expect Mike to be here for a lot longer than the existing contract. And so, we’ll get it done when the time comes.”
Well, the speculation can end now.
If Rooney words can be held as gospel then I’m not sure what more needs to be said. Currently, Tomlin has just two years — including the 2023 season — remaining on his deal, tying him to Pittsburgh through the 2024 season.
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 he’s infamously lacked some playoff success in the last decade, Tomlin remains a high-level coach, one who gets the best out of his players and really has a good handle on how to manage personalities, develop young players, and get the most out of a certain situation or team.
In recent years he’s shown that time and time again, even if the playoff success hasn’t followed.
Whether fans like it or not, Tomlin will be the head coach of the Steelers as long as he wants to be. He’s a Hall of Fame coach, one who will go down as one of the best in NFL history. He wins games consistently and is revered by players, fellow coaches and executives. That matters.
As Rooney said, the contract will get done when it needs to get done. At this point, it’s likely to occur shortly after the 2023 season.
