Kevin Colbert ended his Pittsburgh Steelers tenure going year-to-year on his contracts before retiring after the 2022 NFL Draft. Ray Fittipaldo wonders if Mike Tomlin could begin going down the same path. Though Tomlin is doubtful to enter lame duck status of entering 2024 on an expiring contract, Fittipaldo believes Tomlin could opt against the multi-year extensions he’s received in the past.
“I’m wondering now if we’re at the point with Mike’s career that he just takes it year-by-year. Do a one-year deal, and then we’ll do the whole dance again next year,” Fittipaldo said as a guest on the Ohio-based Rothman & Ice show earlier today.
Fittpaldo made clear he’s confident Tomlin, now 52, will be extended before Week 1, a notion Art Rooney II confirmed shortly after the 2023 season ended. Though Tomlin’s last contract was inked in April, this one will likely take place right before training camp, matching timelines from previous deals. Unlike players, financial terms don’t have to be reported, but he will be one of the top-paid coaches in the NFL. With Bill Belichick no longer with the New England Patriots, Tomlin is the longest-tenured coach in the league.
While Tomlin’s been among football’s most consistent coaches, the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016. It’s been a source of frustration externally that’s become evident internally, with Rooney expressing impatience with the team’s one-and-done finishes. Pittsburgh looks to snap that streak in 2024 with improved quarterback play, a stronger offensive line, and a healthier defense. The Steelers have exceeded expectations in recent years, viewed as the AFC North’s weakest link, and bounced back after being counted out, but their playoff fate has been too repetitive.
Tomlin could go the Colbert route. But he’s also younger than Colbert was when that process began, and Tomlin’s publicly swatted away rumors and reports of him doing anything other than being the Steelers’ head coach. His past three extensions have been for three years. If this upcoming deal comes under that mark, it’ll be a sign that either Tomlin is thinking about his football future. Or that ownership is seeking to evaluate Tomlin’s job security earlier than normal, implicitly applying pressure to win now.
