Steelers’ Mike Tomlin walks off podium when asked about his future with team following playoff loss to Bills

Mike Tomlin’s final postgame press conference of the 2023 season ended abruptly. It ended with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ longtime coach walking off the podium while a question was being asked about his future. 

Tomlin, who surely knew the question was coming, was just moments removed from his team’s 31-17 season-ending loss to the Buffalo Bills on Super Wild Card Weekend. 

Tomlin’s future has been a hot button topic for weeks. It was recently reported that he will discuss his future with his family this offseason before making a decision on the 2024 season and beyond, according to NBC Sports. 

Tomlin will determine whether or not he will continue to coach the Steelers beyond this season. Pittsburgh’s brass reportedly wants to extend his contract this offseason. A report recently surfaced that Tomlin may consider a temporary break from coaching after this season. 

The 51-year-old Tomlin is now the NFL’s longest-tenured coach with one team now that the Patriots and Bill Belichick parted ways. Tomlin has been the Steelers’ head coach since 2007. During his time in Pittsburgh, the franchise has won one Super Bowl, two AFC titles, seven division titles and appeared in the playoffs 11 times. Tomlin’s 17 straight seasons without a losing season is the most in NFL history for a first-time head coach. 

This season has been an interesting one for Tomlin and the Steelers, who started 7-4, then lost three straight games before salvaging their season by winning their final three games of the regular season to clinch a playoff berth. Tomlin made a critical decision prior to Pittsburgh’s recent winning streak when he named Mason Rudolph the team’s new starting quarterback. Rudolph responded by playing the best football of his career.  

If Tomlin decides to move on, the Steelers would have to look for a new coach for only the fourth time since 1969. Tomlin, Bill Cowher and Chuck Noll are the only head coaches the Steelers have hired over the past 55 years. Noll and Cowher are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, an honor Tomlin will likely receive some time after his coaching career ends.