Is head coach Mike Tomlin going to leave the Pittsburgh Steelers?

It’s been a curious campaign for the Pittsburgh Steelers, yet here they are in the playoffs with no reason to fear their opponents. Of course, it’s hard not to think of what the future holds beyond this season for the team, after its head coach indicated he might not be a part of it.

Steelers’ Mike Tomlin ponders taking a break

Given where the Pittsburgh Steelers are at right now and where they’ve come from, it’s hard not to think of the timing of Mike Tomlin’s reported comments as a little strange. The 51-year-old has one year left in his current contract but recently suggested that he would take time to discuss his future with his family, before deciding whether he will return to coach the team after this season. The report also indicated that the franchise does in fact want to extend Tomlin’s contract this offseason. Whether that will happen or not remains to be seen.

For context, it’s worth noting that Tomlin is now the NFL’s longest-tenured coach with a single team, now that the Patriots and Bill Belichick parted ways. It was back in 2007 when he first took the post and since then has overseen a team that has won a Super Bowl, two AFC titles, seven division titles, and has made 11 trips to the postseason. Adding further weight is that the 17 consecutive seasons that he has coached without a losing record stand as the most in NFL history by a first-time coach. This is all to say, that were he to leave it would be a significant blow to the franchise.

So, where are the Steelers at right now?

On Monday, the Steelers will take on the Buffalo Bills in the final game of Super Wild Card weekend. Incidentally, that was not originally meant to be the case, however, adverse weather conditions in Buffalo forced the postponement of the showdown. It should be said that the fact that the Steelers are in the playoffs is worth commending given the season that the team endured. After starting 7-4, the Steelers lost straight at which point Tomlin himself publicly criticized his players and it appears to have worked. There was also a key decision taken when he handed quarterback Mason Rudolph the starting position, something that the signal caller responded to by playing sensationally. What followed was three consecutive wins to close out the season and with that, a playoff berth. Ultimately, there has been no further word on what Tomlin intends to do which means for the moment all we can do is pay attention to his next game albeit one that could be his last. Kickoff in Buffalo is set for 4:30 p.m. ET.