Things might not have ended the way for which Pittsburgh Steelers were hoping in the 2023 season — they flamed out in the Wild Card Round against the Buffalo Bills — but one thing that will end the way they want is with head coach Mike Tomlin getting a contract extension.
After leading the Steelers to a 10-7 record while dealing with a number of injuries defensively and starting three different quarterbacks, Tomlin is in line for another extension from the only franchise he’s ever known as a head coach.
Just when that extension will be signed is anyone’s guess. Steelers president Art Rooney II didn’t clear up the timeline on a Tomlin extension Monday during a session with local beat reporters.
“It’ll be done when it gets done,” Rooney said, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan. “Those things are hard to speculate how long it’ll take. At this point, I don’t see it getting done before the coordinator’s hired. I think that’s gonna happen sooner rather than later.”
It makes sense that a Tomlin extension would be put off until an offensive coordinator is in place, considering that is the most important piece of business that the Steelers need to handle this offseason. Tomlin’s extension can wait.
It will get done though; that much is certain. Whether it’s a one-year or two-year deal remains to be seen, but Tomlin is going to be the head coach of the Steelers for the foreseeable future.
Rooney still believes in Tomlin, especially after the season the Steelers just went through.
“I think the players still respond to Mike and that’s number one. He still has the key characteristics that we saw when we hired him. He can keep the attention of a group of 20-year-olds for a whole season and keep them in the fight the whole way,” Rooney said, according to Steelers.com’s Bob Labriola. “So, still feel good about Mike. Obviously, if I didn’t we’d make a change. If we didn’t think Mike was able to lead us to a championship, he wouldn’t be here. And that’s why he is here.”
Tomlin showed this past season that he still gets the players to respond to him and play hard for him. Even when the team was in a three-game losing streak, Tomlin never lost the team, even with all the outside noise rising to a deafening roar. Then, the team responded and ripped off three straight wins down the stretch to reach the playoffs.
Even though he has his warts as a coach in-game, Tomlin still has the ability to reach his players day after day. That matters not only to Rooney but the players as well. They love and respect Tomlin. You don’t move on from that.
But the team needs to start finding success in the playoffs, and fast.
