After claiming the title of the most-experienced active head coach in the National Football League earlier this season, Mike Tomlin has now decided to turn right around and hand that honor over to Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs. The 53-year-old icon informed the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier today that he would be stepping down from his head coaching position, bringing a definitive end to an era in Pittsburgh.
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When Tomlin was first introduced to the Steelers fan base back in January of 2007, almost no one knew what to expect from him. He was a lesser known defensive coordinator who had just one year’s worth of NFL experience from coaching the Minnesota Vikings, and there wasn’t a single soul who would have thought that he was about to rip off five consecutive winning seasons that included two AFC Championships and a Super Bowl.
Tomlin will be best remembered for the fact that he never once produced a losing season in 19 years, stacking up 16 winning seasons and only going 8-8 on three separate occasions. However, it is worth noting that he managed to stack up a good amount of cash as well.
Throughout his first four years with the team, Tomlin was earning approximately $2.5 million a year. After that, his next deal saw his annual salary climb to an estimated $6 million, and after that, a contract extension, which he signed in the spring of 2021, lifted his annual salary to roughly $11.5 million.
All in all, Tomlin was able to clear more than $100 million in career earnings, and he’ll walk away from the Steelers with a net worth north of $40 million.
Rich Eisen reacts to Mike Tomlin leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers
When you’re in the same line of work for 15+ years, you tend to meet different characters and find yourself growing and aging alongside others in your field. For many older NFL coaches and personnel, Rich Eisen has been one of those characters.
Much like Tomlin, Eisen has been one of those perennial figures in the world of sports. You grew up seeing them and hearing their voices on television every single weekend, they were even there throughout your college years and early adult days.
Suffice to say, when Eisen finally heard the news of Tomlin’s departure, it felt like saying goodbye to an old friend. “This man, Mike Tomlin, what he has meant to the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Eisen started.
“To the organization, to the community, the mantra of what it is to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. I understand it did not finish well over the years in terms of winning a playoff game… I understand that you feel it had run its course, the fact that he feels the same way right now, I think is sad. I do. I’m saddened to hear this news, because I did love his longevity. It did speak well for the team, and the sport, and for him.”
According to Eisen, Tomlin had likely “thought about” this decision for quite some time, and the quickness in which he made the decision seems to suggest that he “isn’t taking a TV job.” We won’t know that for sure until Tomlin himself addresses things further, but one thing is for sure, and that’s the fact the Steelers are now in uncharted waters for the first time in two decades.
