The Pittsburgh Steelers are going through a monumental change as an organization as the news broke on Tuesday that Mike Tomlin would be stepping down as the team's head coach. This was somewhat expected, although there was still a ton of mystery surrounding the head coach and his future. Many fans have been wanting the coach to be fired for years now, but it was always clear that the decision would be up to him whether or not he continued on in Pittsburgh. Now the organization will be going through a coaching search for the first time in nearly 20 years, and some interesting names should be looked at.
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Former Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin roams the practice field as his team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
The Steelers should have an extensive list to choose from when it comes to the team's next head coach, and throughout that list, there will be plenty of current coordinators and former head coaches throughout the league. Pittsburgh's way of hiring a head coach in the past has been by going with defensive coordinators from somewhere else in the NFL, at least that was the case with Bill Cowher and Tomlin. This time around, things could be different, as Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman could be an interesting option for Pittsburgh.
Marcus Freeman is speaking to the media in a press conference setting on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET.
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) January 13, 2026
It's the first time Freeman has been made available in this capacity since Notre Dame was snubbed from the College Football Playoff. pic.twitter.com/YCczIWeL42
Freeman plans to speak to the media on Wednesday afternoon, and timing is certainly peculiar. He hasn't spoken since Notre Dame didn't make the College Football Playoff and the school declined their invite to play in a bowl game. The timing is questionable, and he certainly fits into whatever the Steelers might be looking for in the franchise's next head coach.
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Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman during the 2025 season.
Freeman was getting some NFL interest early on in the coaching cycle for the NFL, but he agreed to a restructured deal with the school that keeps him under contract through the 2031 season. However, that deal was agreed to before the Steelers job came open. The opening in Pittsburgh could make him change his mind, and he could be announcing on Wednesday that he plans to entertain NFL offers. Those offers could be from Pittsburgh, or from one of the other openings across the league.
BREAKING: The Steelers discussed Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman as a Tomlin replacement. In the event Tomlin walked away this offseason. Per the awesome Dianna Russini. Why would the Steelers do their homework on coaches if Tomlin is 100% back? Answer: they wouldn’t. pic.twitter.com/eUVok7mJZT
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) January 3, 2026
This should still be viewed as a longshot for the Steelers, especially due to the recently restructured contract between Freeman and Notre Dame. However, this would be a very interesting hire, and the organization has reportedly already done its homework on Freeman as a potential Tomlin replacement.
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Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman coaches on the sideline during a home game in the 2025 season.
Steelers Likely To Stick With A Defensive-Minded Head Coach
Tomlin has been a defensive-minded head coach, and so was Cowher. It seems likely that the organization would keep that trend alive. Freeman fits that mold as he played linebacker at Ohio State and then had a short stint in the NFL. He then spent time as a linebackers coach and defensive coordinator before getting the opportunity to be the head coach at Notre Dame. A fun wrinkle to Freeman potentially being the next head coach of the Steelers would be that he was actually college teammates with defensive captain Cam Heyward.
Other defensive-minded candidates might include Chris Shula, Brian Flores, or Jesse Minter.
What do you think about Freeman being the next head coach in Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments below!
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