Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II had a feeling Mike Tomlin was ready to step aside in the near future, but he didn’t expect him to leave the post this week.
After 19 seasons, Tomlin resigned on Tuesday to open a new chapter for the organization and give up his run as the NFL’s longest-tenured head coach.
Rooney said he met with Tomlin after the Steelers lost at home in the wild-card round to the Houston Texans and immediately sensed Tomlin had made up his mind to step down. Rooney said he didn’t try to change Tomlin’s mind. It was evident Tomlin was resolute and didn’t come by the decision lightly.
“He was pretty clear about what his intentions were,” Rooney said.
“He said it himself: he knows it’s not gonna go forever. I think we all knew we were getting towards the end.”
None of Tomlin’s assistants are candidates to be promoted to head coach, Rooney said, and he anticipates there will be personnel changes because of Tomlin’s magnetic personality. For one, he believes Aaron Rodgers largely came to the franchise to partner with Tomlin.
“I mean, look, Aaron came here to play for Mike. So that will most likely affect his decision,” Rooney said.
The wild-card loss this week was the fifth in a row for the Steelers. Pittsburgh also dropped wild-card games in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024.
Tomlin, 53, indicated to Rooney that coaching was not on his immediate radar and he’s likely to step away for a full season.
There are several parts of the tradition Tomlin continued from previous coach Bill Cowher almost two decades ago that Rooney wants to maintain.
Pittsburgh’s last losing season was a 6-10 campaign in 2003. Hired in 2007, Tomlin won the Super Bowl at age 36 in his second season, never had a losing record and in 2025 the Steelers won the AFC North for the eighth time on his watch.
There is no decision for Rooney on whether the franchise could consider a rebuilding year to restock and settle the revolving door at quarterback. If the 42-year-old Rodgers retires or moves on, the Steelers are looking at a new QB1 for the fifth time in the past six seasons. Kenny Pickett (2022, 2023) is the only carryover starter the franchise has had since Ben Roethlisberger retired.
“I’m sure the quarterback position will be an important part of this discussion with the candidates. We will have to develop a plan for going forward,” Rooney said.
Like Cowher (1992-2006) and Chuck Noll before him, Tomlin had no head-coaching experience when he was hired away from his role as defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings. Cowher was defensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs before coming to Pittsburgh. Noll has defensive coordinator of the then-Baltimore Colts prior to helping build the Steelers’ dynasty with four Super Bowl wins as coach from 1969-91.
Rooney hasn’t ruled out bringing in a coach with experience. He said mostly he’s determined to put a winner on the field again in 2026.
“I’m not sure why you’d waste a year of your life not trying to contend,” Rooney said.
