Following the surprising news Thursday morning that longtime head coach Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots were parting ways after 24 seasons that shook the NFL landscape, there is now a new name atop the list of longest-tenured head coaches in the NFL.
Mike Tomlin.
Hired ahead of the 2007 season by the Steelers, Tomlin has been the man in charge for 17 years and counting and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon, or going anywhere else.
Tomlin holds down the title of longest-tenured head coach, just ahead of fellow AFC North and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who was hired as head coach of the Ravens in 2008 and has been in the same position for 16 years. After that, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is third with 11 years in Kansas City.
After the trio of the big three in Tomlin, Harbaugh and Reid, no other coach in the NFL has been in his position prior to the 2017 season. Buffalo’s Sean McDermott is fourth on the list in longest-tenured head coaches after being named the Bills’ head coach ahead of the 2017 season.
Not only is Tomlin now the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL, he’s also the second longest tenured head coach in the four major sports leagues in North American, trailing only San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich in the NBA, who has been the head coach there since 1996.
Though there have been some questions about Tomlin and his future in Pittsburgh, especially after a rough stretch in December that saw the Steelers fall to 7-7 on the season, all indications are that Tomlin will be back for his 18th season in 2024 with the Steelers — and will be the head coach of the Steelers for many years to come as he continues to build on his Hall of Fame resume.
After leading the Steelers to a 10-7 season and reaching the playoffs, where they will take on the Buffalo Bills Sunday in the Wild Card Round matchup at 1 p.m. on the road, all indications are Tomlin will receive a contract extension this offseason from the Steelers and owner Art Rooney II.
Tomlin is just six seasons away from tying Hall of Fame head coach Chuck Noll for most years as the head coach of the Steelers at 23. Additionally, Tomlin sits just 30 wins away from the all-time wins record in Steelers history behind Noll, who won 193 games with the Steelers in 342 games as the head coach.
