After spending 19 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Tomlin has decided to step down as head coach. This move means that now only Andy Reid remains as the sole NFL head coach who has been with the same team for over ten years.
The NFL’s high-stakes environment means every coach is always under scrutiny, and recent events have underscored this reality. Tomlin’s decision comes just one day after he suffered his seventh consecutive playoff defeat, tying him with former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis for the most consecutive postseason losses. Meanwhile, Tomlin’s longtime coaching counterpart, John Harbaugh, was also dismissed following a loss that prevented the Ravens from making the playoffs.
This pivotal change highlights how the coaching landscape in the NFL can shift dramatically. The following coaches have now taken over as concurrent leaders in their teams:
- Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs (2013)
- Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills (2017)
- Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams (2017)
- Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers (2017)
- Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals (2019)
- Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers (2019)
Critics have been vocal about the performance expectations for these coaches, especially against the backdrop of dwindling team success. As Tomlin exits, the NFL will watch closely to see who the Steelers will consider in the search for a new head coach, as well as the fates of others within the league’s leadership.
