NFL Insider: Washington Commanders Should Try to Trade for Mike Tomlin

PITTSBURGH — Mike Tomlin isn’t known as an NFL head coach with a lot of close friends in the media world, but if there’s one person that he’s been repeatedly connected to over the years, it’s Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, which makes it extremely interesting that Glazer is the latest to suggest the Pittsburgh Steelers should look into trading their head coach this offseason.

Glazer appeared on the NFL on Fox Podcast with Dave Helman this week to discuss Tomlin’s future with the team, among other things.

He said that if the Steelers fired Tomlin, many teams would line up for his services and suggested that the Washington Commanders should reach out to the Steelers about trading for Tomlin.

“If Mike Tomlin was available, there would be teams probably willing to get rid of their own head coach to bring in a Mike Tomlin,” Glazer said. “Mike Tomlin is, when you talk to other head coaches in this league, he is the guy. He is grand-papa. He is the guy they all look up to. He has done an incredible job over the years. To never have a losing season? It’s absolutely ridiculous. …

“I’m telling you, if Mike Tomlin was available, there would be teams lining up. Even if he was not available yet, teams should be calling, trying to trade for Mike Tomlin.”

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talks with New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers on Dec. 7, 2023. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

The Commanders are currently 4-9 and in last place in the NFC East. Ron Rivera has been their coach, but he is a holdover from before the tenure of general manager Martin Mayhem, and new owner Josh Harris, who formerly owned a piece of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Hey Washington, he’s from Virginia,” Glazer said. “Perfect. I’m at least giving it a shot. I’m trying for it. If they decide to move away from Ron Rivera, you’ve got to swing away for a guy like that. If he’s on the hot seat, swing away. Mike Tomlin, he is, like I said, amongst his peers, he is “the guy.”

Veteran Steelers insider Ed Bouchette also recently suggested that the Steelers should look into trading Tomlin, who has one year remaining on his contract with the team after the 2023 season.

NFL head coaches are traded somewhat infrequently, but it’s not unheard of. Seven NFL coaches have been traded in the last 25 years, with a wide variety of compensation in return.

In 1997, Bill Parcells netted a first, second, third and fourth round picks along with $300,000 in his trade from the New England Patriots to then New York Jets. Mike Holmgren got the Green Bay Packer just a second-round pick when he went to the Seattle Seahawks in 1999.

The most recent trade came just this past offseason, when the New Orleans Saints traded Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos. Denver sent first and second-round picks to New Orleans and got a third-rounder along with Payton.
It still seems unlikely