Report: Mike Tomlin Told Players He Will Return in 2024

Mike Tomlin told players in their meeting on Tuesday that he would return for 2024 and that the speculation of him potentially leaving the team was unfounded, according to a report by Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.

Following the Steelers’ 31-17 Wild Card Round loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday, Mike Tomlin was asked about his future with the team since he has only one year remaining on his contract. Tomlin walked off the podium before the question was finished, sparking even more speculation.

With one year left on his contract, there has been speculation from PFT’s Mike Florio, ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and Jay Glazer, a close friend of Tomlin, that he could walk. But that seems to be unfounded. And he is not in uncharted waters.

It should be noted that Tomlin has coached into the final season of his deal in 2021 before receiving an extension. But the deal ends after the 2024 season, although team president Art Rooney II said this summer that it would get done.

“We’ve done the contract at different points and people seem to read more into that than is warranted,” Rooney said to Steelers Nation Radio in July. “The contract will get done when it needs to get done. As Omar said, I expect Mike to be here a lot longer than the existing contract. We’ll get it done when the time comes.”

In addition to all of that, the players bashed those ideas on Tuesday, believing Tomlin should stay. Cam Heyward, in particular, gave an impassioned defense of Tomlin.

“I’ll just say this about Mike T — Why are we so concerned with somebody who has a year on their contract, who’s been locked in, has wanted to just coach football? We don’t ask anybody else if they need to come back for another year or anything else. I think it’s doing him a disservice. This guy has been locked in from the very get go. But yet we’re worried if he’s coming back or not,” Heyward said. “…My thought is he’s going to be the coach here. And if anybody’s thinking it should be anybody else, then you’re asking for a whole lot more than just that. Mike T wants to be a Pittsburgh Steeler and is a Pittsburgh Steeler. Why would you want anyone else.”

Now, it is expected that he will return in 2024 for an 18th season as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. But that does not mean that changes are not coming to the team, it just depends on how elastic Tomlin is willing to be.