The Pittsburgh Steelers have ended the 2024 regular season on a four-game losing streak, and the team is just barely limping into the playoffs. The fan base is desperate for postseason success, as a playoff game hasn't been won by the Steelers since the 2016 season. For a moment, it seemed like this season would be different, but Mike Tomlin's team fell apart once again when it mattered most.
Benjamin B. Braun / Post-Gazette
Steelers' Mike Tomlin looks on during a snowy game in Cleveland.
The Steelers will have a chance to win a playoff game against either the Houston Texans or the Baltimore Ravens, depending on the outcome of the rest of the Week 18 games. If that doesn't happen, the fanbase will certainly be calling for Tomlin's job after another failure of a season.
Despite the lack of recent playoff success, Tomlin is still one of the most well-respected head coaches in the NFL. His ability to keep his teams above water is reveled throughout the football world, and NFL insider Adam Schefter shared on Sunday that other teams in the league could call Pittsburgh about a potential trade.
"And one other coaching note - I think there will be teams out there that watch the way the Steelers season has ended and wonder whether they should call the Steelers to see if they should inquire about whether the Steelers would be willing to move on from Mike Tomlin and move him to another organization." Schefter said.
Trading a head coach seems like something the Steelers would never do, but there are some organizations out there that are desperate for quality coaching. Tomlin could garner a first-round pick on the trade market, and since he is signed through the 2027 season, that would need to be how other teams acquire him.
Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin ahead of a 2024 home game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Steelers Unlikely To Make Shocking Coach Trade
Schefter believes desperate teams will call Pittsburgh to see whether or not it is a possibility, but it is a long shot the Steelers would even consider this. The players respect Tomlin, and making a move to get rid of the coach would likely make the locker room a bit uneasy. Schefter spoke more about the likelihood of a trade involving Tomlin.
"I don't think Pittsburgh will do that." Schefter said. "That has not been what they have been about, and there's no indication that they would, but I do think there are teams wondering about whether they should lob in a call just to see if they could stir Pittsburgh's ear."
This seems like a move the Steelers would never think about doing it, but if the organization could get considerable draft capital from a team that just fired their head coach, it could be roster-defining. Tomlin is currently signed through the 2027 season, so there is no reason to think he is going anywhere as of yet.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin and Russell Wilson on the sideline during a game against the New York Jets in 2024.
An example of how a trade involving Tomlin might work can be seen in how the Denver Broncos acquired Sean Payton. Payton was the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 2006 through 2021, but he retired after the 2021 season.
Payton began interviewing for other head coaching jobs around the league during the 2023 coaching cycle, and he agreed to become the next head coach in Denver. He was still under contract with New Orleans, so the Broncos were forced to send a first-round pick and a second-round pick to New Orleans for the rights to Payton and a third-round pick.
Tomlin's situation would obviously be different, assuming he doesn't suddenly retire after the 2024 season. It is fair to say that he would be involved in a similar trade, and if this is something that Pittsburgh wants to pursue it should do it for no less than what Denver got in return for Payton. The Steelers never finish a season with a high draft pick, and this could be a way to secure one.
What would you think about the Steelers trading Tomlin? Let us know in the comments below!
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