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See the full story · 1 sourcesJan 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. © Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Back in 2007, when the Pittsburgh Steelers hired the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator to be their head coach, most of the NFL world didn’t know who Mike Tomlin was. They certainly didn’t expect him to coach the team for 19 seasons, or win a Super Bowl in his second year as their leader.
But now that Tomlin has decided to step away from the team, he’s been replaced by another former Super Bowl-winning head coach, Mike McCarthy. And now Tomlin has a new job.
Mike Tomlin’s Debut on NBC ‘Still Feels Weird’
Rather than coaching another team, Tomlin has taken his talent to NBC, where he’s serving as a football analyst. With the NFL Hall of Fame Game kicking off Thursday between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals, Tomlin got a chance to make his debut as an analyst.
The football world has gotten so used to seeing coach Tomlin roam the sidelines that some felt it was odd seeing him in a suit, mic’d up for TV instead.
“Definitely going to take some time to get used to him in the booth and not on the sidelines,” former MLB player Ryan Ripken wrote on X.
Daniel Valente agreed, saying it “still feels weird” not seeing him in Steelers colors. He wrote, “Still feels weird not seeing Mike Tomlin in Steelers gear.”
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Yet others felt he was off to a hot start with his new team on NBC.
Dom DiTommaso wrote, “Mike Tomlin is already lighting things up on NBC, while the coach that replaced him in Pittsburgh (Mike McCarthy) couldn’t be less charismatic or captivating. Eventually Steelers fans will realize they should’ve been careful for what they wished for.”
One person, On3’s Nick Schultz, saw a short amount from Tomlin and declared that he’s going to be “so, so good on TV.”
Bob Fescoe reacted to Tomlin’s debut on NBC and said, “Mike Tomlin is crushing it so far! He’s fantastic.”
Meanwhile, Alex Frank from SB Nation said Tomlin is an “absolute NATURAL at the mic.”
One account feels like adding Tomlin to the NBC team is a game-changer, even calling him the “ most important member of the crew .”
“NBC sports definitely had the weakest pre/postgame show cast of all the major networks broadcasting the NFL. Adding Mike Tomlin is such a huge deal, he already has become the most important member of the crew,” the account wrote.
Even though he hasn’t been on TV long, Tomlin has already made a strong impression. Lauren Jones said, “Mike Tomlin already outstanding 15 minutes in.”
One thing is clear: Tomlin already has a lot of fans. The best part is, he’ll never face the same amount of pressure as when he was worried about wins and losses or about living up to the high expectations of a Steelers fanbase that’s come to expect annual success.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
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