Chuck Noll did it. Bill Cowher sort of did it. And now Mike Tomlin has followed suit.
Bill Cowher interviews Mike Tomlin. Photo Credit: Steelers.com
In case you’re a Steelers fan sitting under a rock or something, following the loss to the Bills in the 2023 AFC Wildcard game, Mike Tomlin abruptly ended his news conference when asked if he’d be back with the team next year.
It was ESPN’s Brooke Pryor who asked the question. Here’s Tomlin’s response:
Mike Tomlin, asked about his future after the #Steelers playoff loss, walks off the podium. pic.twitter.com/mHLyivdU0q
— Alan Saunders (@ASaunders_PGH) January 16, 2024
There’s a temptation to label this as unprecedented, but in fact it has a rich precedent.
During the depths of the Steelers 5-11 1988 season, a reporter, most likely from the Pittsburgh Press asked Noll “What would determine whether or not you should come back, would it be something so bad…”
— Steel City Star (@steelcitystar) January 17, 2024
As you can see, Noll says with a smile, “I don’t even answer that…” but leaves the conference with the slight hint of a glare as he turns away. The move was reported nationally at the time, and thanks to Steel City Star we have video.
- Bill Cowher also did something similar.
Speculation abounded about Bill Cowher’s future with the Steelers after the dismal 1999 season.
Eleven days after the Steelers 1999 finale, Bill Cowher met for 75 minutes with both Dan and Art Rooney II. While he wasn’t schedule to speak to the press he abruptly walked past reporters with what the Post-Gazette’s Bob Smizik described as a scow on his face.
Another reporter in an article that’s been lost to the internet’s oblivion, described him as a coach who looked like he’d just been fired. When asked if he had indeed lost his job, Cowher declined to answer simply stating that “Ron has the release.” (Ed Bouchette’s article doesn’t provide that depth of detail but confirms the basics.)
Those were big stories at the time. And had social media existed at the time, you’d undoubtedly be seeing memes of them now.
- But what happened with the dust settled?
Dan Rooney extended Chuck Noll’s contract after the 1988 season and essentially guaranteed him life time employment when he decided to step down from coaching (the Steelers listed Noll as “Administration Advisor” until his death in 2014.)
And just minutes after Cowher’s abrupt hallway encounter with reporters, the Steelers issued a press release where Dan Rooney not only clarified that Cowher would be back, but so would his assistants.
- Speculation about Mike Tomlin’s future has been a hot topic.
His confidant Jay Glazer has suggested that Tomlin may wish to seek other opportunities. Both Ed Bouchette and Vic Ketchman speculated on a recent Steel City Insider podcast that this would be Tomlin’s final year. The Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, the Pittsburgh reporter with access to some of the best sources in the Steelers organization, didn’t do anything to dissuade people of this notion, tweeting:
There was a reason… https://t.co/hwkCMaBmP7
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) January 16, 2024
And Ed Thompson also pointed out on X that, unlike in past years, the Steelers had not schedule one final, season ending press conference with Mike Tomlin.
However, if reports are correct, Mike Tomlin will also mimic his predecessors, by returning to the Steelers after cutting off the press when asked if that was what he would do.
At 5:44 Eastern NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo’ reported that Mike Tomlin had told players he would return. ESPN’s Broke Pryor made a similar report and Gerry Dulac chimed in with this about 2 hours later:
Mike Tomlin told Steelers players in team meeting today he is returning in 2024 and not to believe the rumors, per sources.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) January 16, 2024
Mike Tomlin has one year remaining on his contract. If the news of his return is indeed correct, expect him to sign an extension during the off season.
