What's next for Mike Tomlin: Are Browns, Ravens possible landing spots for former Steelers coach?

All bets appear to be off as Mike Tomlin has become the latest former NFL coach to leave his post. While many of his peers were fired since the 2025 regular season concluded, Tomlin was one of the fortunate few NFL coaches who was able to leave on his terms. 

That's what happened on Tuesday, mere hours after the Steelers' 2025 season came to an end after Pittsburgh lost its seventh straight playoff game under Tomlin. Tomlin and the Steelers' lack of recent playoff success somewhat overshadowed his overall body of work in Pittsburgh that included a Super Bowl win, two AFC titles, eight division titles, 13 playoff appearances and 19 straight non-losing seasons. 

Still just 53 years old, Tomlin will surely have his share of options regarding what he will do next. And while some potential options are more realistic than others, the recent turnover in the NFL should be a reminder to not rule anything out when it comes to Tomlin and what he might do next. 

Mike Tomlin stepping away could give the Steelers the reset they need. It'll be easier said than done

Zachary Pereles

Here's a quick rundown of Tomlin's likely options as he charts out on a new path. 

Coaching in 2026 

While many assumed that Pittsburgh would be his last team, Tomlin recently acknowledged on the Rich Eisen Show that he still loves coaching despite the obvious challenges that come with it. 

"Hey, I'm institutionalized," he said. "Man, I gotta have it. I just love the challenges week in and week out that this job provides. The growth in it, the collective growth, the individual growth. A lot of lessons that I've learned in life have been through my football experiences. I've been on the team every year of my life since 1980, and so I really appreciate it." 

In that vein, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone if Tomlin is back on the sidelines in 2026. And if he chooses to coach again, he will likely have his pick of several jobs that are currently open. Having the opportunity to interview for one of the league's current openings may have been one of the reasons why he chose to step down less than 24 hours after the Steelers' season ended. 

One thing we know is that Tomlin doesn't want to spend time on a rebuild. There's a reason why the Steelers never had a losing season under his watch. He wants the opportunity to win now and every year moving forward. 

That means that Tomlin's next potential team would have to have a roster that is in position to win now. That could lead to the Atlanta Falcons, who are coming off two disappointing 8-9 seasons despite having several stars on their roster that includes running back Bijan Robinson, wideout Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts, safety Jessie Bates III, and pass rushers James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker, among others. 

Quarterback remains a question in Atlanta, although the Falcons don't have a bad situation after Kirk Cousins showed major signs of his old form last year after replacing Michael Penix Jr. in the starting lineup. 

Outside of Atlanta, the Ravens would be another appealing landing spot. In Baltimore, Tomlin would have his coveted franchise quarterback in Lamar Jackson and a team that was a play away from defeating the Bills and reaching the AFC title game in 2024. 

While less appealing, the Browns could also be a possible landing spot for Tomlin. Unlike Atlanta and Baltimore, Tomlin would likely get a statue in Cleveland if he led the Browns to their first division title since 1989. While his consistent streak of non-losing season probably wasn't properly appreciated in Pittsburgh, it undoubtedly would in Cleveland. 

The Browns are coming off consecutive losing seasons, but they fielded one of the NFL's defenses last season and have an intriguing quarterback room in Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. Those things could be selling points for Tomlin, who also wouldn't have to move very far if he ended up in Cleveland. 

There's a major roadblock, though, which would likely prevent Tomlin from ending up in either Baltimore or Cleveland. That's the fact that the Steelers still own his rights, which means that -- unless they release him from his contract a year early -- Pittsburgh would have to approve a trade that would involve Tomlin, which leads us to our next scenario. 

A jump to media 

Similar to coaching, there's a belief that Tomlin would have his pick of several media jobs should he chose to go that route. While it probably wouldn't be as gratifying as coaching, a job in the media would allow Tomlin to stay close to the game while working significantly less hours and giving him the chance to showcase his impressive communication skills. 

Tomlin-isms have become the stuff of legend in Pittsburgh. His weekly Tuesday press conferences typically included some of his patented sayings (my personal favorite was "When you have red paint, you paint your barn red") that were often as humurous as they were insightful. 

It might help that Tomlin's mentor, Tony Dungy, has enjoyed an extremely successful career in broadcasting since he left coaching nearly 20 years ago. Tomlin's predecessor, Bill Cowher, has also enjoyed a highly-successful career in broadcasting that has actually lasted longer than his time as the Steelers coach. 

From a legacy standpoint, there's no doubt that Dungy and Cowher's relevancy as broadcasters helped both receive induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It would likely do the same for Tomlin, whose career in Pittsburgh largely mimicked the success that Dungy and Cowher had as coaches. 

While he may never look back, Tomlin could decide to get back into coaching after the 2026 season, when he would no longer be under contract with the Steelers. That would allow him to sign with anyone without any strings attached. 

A year off

In my opinion, this is the most unlikely scenario. For someone whose boundless energy became the stuff of legend in Pittsburgh, it's far-fetched to imagine Tomlin stashing that energy away for a year in lieu of some down time. 

That being said, it is definitely possible that Tomlin takes a year to himself before making his next move. Coaching in the NFL is a grind, after all, and Tomlin might be ready for a well-deserved break. 

A year off would given Tomlin more time with his wife and three adult children. It would also give him some time to enjoy what he was able to accomplish in Pittsburgh before he delves into his next challenge.