If head coach Mike Tomlin’s run with the Pittsburgh Steelers does end, it likely won’t be the end of his spotlight. New offers would follow quickly, with a growing sense around the league that television could be where he lands next.

“Mike Tomlin won’t be fired,” Pro Football Talk on X wrote. “There’s a belief he has a TV offer in his back pocket if he chooses to pursue that path.”

In fact, after the Steelers’ blowout Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans on Monday, it was clear that things didn’t end the way they hoped. Firing rumors began, but if analysts Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are to be believed, Tomlin won’t stay without work for a long time, even if fired.

“There’ll be a lot of networks knocking on his door,” Aikman said while calling the game. “That’s for sure. And if he wants to continue to coach, if he’s let go, there’ll be a lot of suitors knocking on his door for that as well.”

Currently, it is not known whether Tomlin’s agent has received any offers from TV networks, but it might be reasonable to think that ESPN would be one likely destination for Tomlin. And in case ESPN contacted Tomlin’s agent, Aikman and Buck would have known a thing or two about that.

There is a belief that Tomlin’s personality is a perfect fit for television. Go back to his press conferences, for instance, which have been a good indicator of his charismatic presence. Plus, since the past few years, he has been considered the hottest target for television networks.

And earlier this month, insider Mike Florio hinted that a career pivot might be waiting for the coach.

“There’s a lot of steam about Tomlin maybe heading to TV,” Florio reported. “That’s going to be something to watch whenever the dust settles on this season, win or lose tonight.”

Interestingly, he was not the only insider with this report. Even ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Peter Schrager discussed this possibility. The former also believes that John Harbaugh, who was recently fired by the Ravens, could also change paths and feature on television.

If this is something Tomlin truly wants to explore, now would be the right time. After all, the Steelers’ season has ended.

Networks like NBC would love to have him for their NFL coverage.

Bidding wars for Mike Tomlin!

TV is interesting today. No wonder Gary Myers, who is the author of Brady vs. Belichick: The Dynasty Debate, noted earlier this month that the bar has been raised.

“It depends on his role, and whether there is a bidding war for [Tomlin],” Myers mentioned earlier this month. “Given recent salary bumps for top NFL analysts, he might not have to take that much of a haircut. Tom Brady pockets $37.5 million a year at Fox, while Troy Aikman and Tony Romo earn $18 million, respectively, at ESPN and CBS.”

It’ll be interesting to see if Tomlin considers television. If he does, CBS would be another place for him. The network has found success with Bill Cowher, who is Tomlin’s predecessor at the Steelers.

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Additionally, the market has more depth after streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube have shown interest in the sport. These platforms need popular faces to establish their shows, and after Fox and ESPN both shut the doors on streaming platforms borrowing their talent, they will be looking at Tomlin.

Tomlin might follow the path of previous NFL coaches

It’s almost common to see NFL coaches leave for TV and then return to the sidelines once again. So, if Tomlin does this, he could be following the path of Bruce Arians and Sean Payton. Both of them had taken a break to work as analysts before returning to the locker room.

However, Tomlin won’t be alone in looking for media opportunities. Quarterback Philip Rivers, who unretired from the Colts in late 2025 and caused chaos, is open to the possibility of a broadcasting role in the future.

So, while the Steelers’ season didn’t end in the best of ways, Tomlin seems to have grabbed the spotlight regardless.

“We didn’t capitalize off of turnovers in the first half. We were plus two and still down,” Tomlin explained after the game. He made it clear that being in that position at halftime showed serious offensive issues. Then, there was veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was furious at the offensive line while playing against the Texans.

He could be seen yelling at his team, especially Kenneth Gainwell. None of that fury worked as the Steelers ended up losing. But what increased his anger was the fact that many fans were calling for Tomlin’s firing. He simply wasn’t on the same page as the fans.

“When you have the right guy, culture’s right, you don’t think about making a change,” he said about it.

Tomlin and Rodgers’ comments made it clear the effort was there, but missed chances and execution issues proved costly when the pressure was highest.