Mike Tomlin reveals reason he left Steelers
The former Steelers head coach reveals why he stepped down.
Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin before an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Mike Tomlin stunned the NFL world when he stepped down as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach in January following a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans. Tomlin has since joined NBC Sports and will be part of the Football Night In America pregame show.
He joined Maria Taylor to discuss his new role, but also reflect on what made him come to the decision to step away from the Steelers. “It’s probably not an overnight decision,” Tomlin said . “But it’s probably not something that I could articulate or share with people.
There’s a loneliness with leadership. I just thought it was a good time for me personally. ” Tomlin also noted that the lack of playoff success played a part in his decision.
“We didn’t have a lot of success in the playoffs in recent years. And there’s just some veteran players there, man. Guys like Cam Heyward and T.