In reality, the odds are still high that Mike Tomlin is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach in 2024. But the fact that it’s not a 100-percent, slam-dunk, you’re-absolutely-crazy-if-you-think-he’s-going-anywhere proposition puts the Steelers in new territory. For the first time in his 17-year tenure, Tomlin’s seat at least feels a bit warm.
Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer joined Dave Helman Monday to discuss Tomlin’s future. Not only is Glazer one of the best insiders in the business, he’s arguably closer than anyone else in the media to Tomlin. The two have a true friendship, hanging out and attending UFC events together. So when Glazer talks Tomlin, it’s worth listening. While he didn’t offer any concrete reporting, Glazer made one interesting comment about how the NFL should be reacting to Tomlin’s status.
“I’m telling you, if Mike Tomlin was available, teams would be lining up,” Glazer told Helman. “Even if he’s not available yet, teams should be calling trying to trade for Mike Tomlin. Hey Washington, he’s from Virginia, perfect. I’m at least giving it a shot. I’m trying for it…you gotta swing away for a guy like that if he’s on the hot seat.”
Truthfully, we’re not big proponents of the “Will Tomlin be traded?” storyline. Often, speculation like this has far more bark than bite. The reality is coaching trades are rare, especially involving those actively with a team as opposed to Sean Payton or Bruce Arians. The last two head coaches to be dealt, they were retired (Arians) or taking a year off (Payton). The last true mega coaching trade occurred in 2002 when Jon Gruden was shipped from Oakland to Tampa Bay.
But the fact Glazer is even mentioning this is newsworthy. Again, he’s not reporting that the Commanders will pursue Tomlin but he’s certainly saying they should. Washington is likely to fire Ron Rivera after this season and new owner Josh Harris could look to make a play for a big-time head coach. As Glazer mentions, Tomlin is from the area, a ‘757er’ from the Hampton, Virginia, area. And in 2020, Harris bought a five percent stake in the Steelers, selling his shares once he became owner of the Commanders ahead of the 2023 season, replacing the widely disliked Dan Snyder. So there are some Steelers’ ties here.
Of course, just because the Commanders or any team came calling for Tomlin doesn’t mean he’s going anywhere. There’s no indication or credible reporting Tomlin is coaching for his job in Pittsburgh. And even if the Rooneys wanted to make a change, Tomlin would have full-say in any potential trade. Unlike players, if a coach doesn’t want to go somewhere, he’s not going there.
Glazer’s words should be taken more seriously than any other media member when it comes to Tomlin. Still, the most likely thing to happen is nothing. Tomlin stays in Pittsburgh for the 2024 season, though it could become a critical year to determining his future with the team.
Catch the whole segment below.
