Report: Steelers Plan to Bring Mike Tomlin Back, Extend His Contract

By Alan Saunders

·Updated: December 23, 2023

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin during practice on Oct. 31, 2023. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin — Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin during practice on Oct. 31, 2023. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

PITTSBURGH — Not only do the Pittsburgh Steelers intend to bring head coach Mike Tomlin back for 2024, they hope to extend his contract before the start of next season, according to a report by Mike Florio of NBC Sports.

Appearing on the NBC pregame show before the Steelers host the Cincinnati Bengals, Florio reported that while there is outside noise surrounding the future of Tomlin with the Steelers, that doesn’t extend inside the team’s offices on Water Street in the South Side.

“Inside, it’s business as usual for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Florio said. “They have no desire whatsoever to make a change at coach and they have no reason to believe that Tomlin wants to go. They’d actually like to extend his contract, which runs through the 2024 season. They’d like to get that done before next season begins. He’s already involved in roster planning for next year and the year after. From their perspective, nothing is changing.”

Mike Florio says the Steelers want to get a Contract Extension done with Mike Tomlin. #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/dGEAU9ZPWf

— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) December 23, 2023

Florio did say that other teams may approach the Steelers about training for Tomlin, as has been speculated over the team’s recent three-game losing streak.

“That’s not impossible, but from the team’s perspective, they want him back and they have no reason to think he wants to leave the place he’s been the head coach since 2007,” Florio said.

Tomlin is 170-100-2 in his 17 seasons as Steelers head coach and is currently tied for 13th in all-time head coach wins. But the Steelers have struggled recently. They are big underdogs to make the playoffs this season, which would be the second consecutive season and the fourth time in six years they’ve missed the postseason.

The Steelers have lost four consecutive playoff games and don’t have a postseason win since 2016.

The club had traditionally given a contract extension to its head coach two years before it expired, but in each of the last two cycles, the Steelers have gone into the penultimate season with Tomlin without agreeing to an extension.