NFL Skylight: Mike Tomlin resigns after playoffs due to…

After leading the Steelers to a record 17 consecutive winning seasons as head coach, Mike Tomlin is set to begin his 11th postseason appearance.

However, some in the NFL think 2017 might be his final season in Pittsburgh, as ESPN reports.Adam Schefter reported this week that while the Steelers are not firing Mike Tomlin, “some people around the league believe that Mike Tomlin could decide, eventually, to take some time off.” Consider taking a year off, just like Sean Payton did.”

Notably, Payton left his position as head coach of the Saints in 2022 after 15 seasons in that capacity. He worked as a Fox Sports analyst for a year before officially joining the Broncos as their coach before of the 2023 season through trade.Earlier this year, NBC Sports revealed that Pittsburgh has “no reason” to think Tomlin wishes to quit and would really seek to extend his contract, which is good until 2024. However, Schefter has since reiterated his assertion that Tomlin’s exit is imminent, stating last week on “The Pat McAfee Show” that he “could walk” following the season according to certain NFL sources.

Schefter clarified that Tomlin, not the Pittsburgh Steelers, will control the outcome, saying, “He’s staying on if he wants to.”

The 51-year-old coach has had solid job security as the NFL’s second-longest head coach, behind only Bill Belichick of the Patriots, who is anticipated to consider moving in 2024. Over his nearly two decades in Pittsburgh, Tomlin is 173-100-2, with two Super Bowl victories to his credit. But in recent years, he’s been under increased local scrutiny because his last postseason triumph occurred in 2016, the year the team made it to the AFC Championship.

Following Pittsburgh’s 10-7 victory, Tomlin’s Steelers will take against the Bills on Sunday as part of Super Wild Card Weekend.

If he were to exit following the season, a number of teams with head coaching vacancies, including the Commanders, would likely be interested in his services, even if it meant negotiating a trade with the Steelers.