Mike Tomlin steps down as Steelers coach: Who could replace him? List of candidates

Mike Tomlin is stepping down as Pittsburgh Steelers coach after having been at the helm since 2007, opening up the position to a host of exciting candidates.

Updated on: Jan 14, 2026, 01:31:46 IST

By Shuvrajit Das Biswas

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Mike Tomlin is stepping down from his position as the Pittsburgh Steelers coach. He was at the helm since 2007 and there was speculation about the Super Bowl-winning coach's future. On Tuesday, he conveyed his decision to the club, and Tomlin's departure opens up the head coach position to a host of exciting candidates.

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has informed the club that he is stepping down from the position. (AP)

“Mike Tomlin has informed the team that he plans to step away from coaching, meaning one of the greatest to do it will take a break. Pittsburgh has a coveted opening,” NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported.

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Here are five candidates who could replace Tomlin at Steelers - Chris Shula, Klint Kubiak, Brian Flores, Mike McCarthy, and John Harbaugh.

Who could replace Mike Tomlin at Steelers?

Chris Shula - The Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator, Chris Shula, has been linked to the Steelers over the past couple of weeks. The Rams have one of the best defenses in the NFL and Shula comes from a long line of coaches.
Brian Flores - The Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator previously worked as senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach at Pittsburgh in 2022. Ravens have reportedly interviewed him for the HC position and there's reportedly interest from Vikings in bringing him back as well, so Steelers would need to move quick to close this deal.
Klint Kubiak - There is a lot of interest in Kubiak for his offensive style that he brings as a coach. His team, the Seattle Seahawks, No 1 seed in the NFC, will take on the San Francisco 49ers this weekend.
Mike McCarthy - He is from the Pittsburgh area but has been out of coaching for the past year. However, the Super Bowl-winning HC could bring some offensive spark to the Steelers' play. And, Aaron Rodgers could also reunite with his former coach for a season, if this comes to pass.
John Harbaugh - Recently out of a job after the Baltimore Ravens coaching gig, Harbaugh has a history of success. NFL teams will definitely try to land him and Steelers could get in on the action, though Harbaugh joining the Ravens AFC North rival might make for a dramatic turn of events.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shuvrajit Das Biswas
Shuvrajit has over seven years of experience covering US, India, and world news. An English Literature postgraduate from Jadavpur University, Shuvrajit started off covering entertainment, gaming and all things pop culture. There were brief periods away from the media industry, with short stints in content marketing, ed-tech and academic editing. However, the newsroom beckoned and over the last few jobs, Shuvrajit has exceedingly focused on team functioning as well, including tracking news and assigning tasks, working on everyday breaking news, framing detailed coverage plans, and creating immersive and data-driven stories. In his time as a digital journalist, he has covered a Lok Sabha election, multiple state elections, Union Budgets and award ceremonies. He has also helped in planning content for company event panels in the past. For work, Shuvrajit enjoys dabbling with data visualization, editing tools, and AI chatbots and attempts to incorporate AI workflows in everyday tasks. He is deeply interested in geopolitics, sports, films and music. Prompting is a new fascination for Shuvrajit now. Apart from that, he can be found doom-scrolling, sharing memes, or cheering on his favorite football team.Read More

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