Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Tomlin agree to 3-year extension. What do we know?
The Steelers’ coach didn’t have a great season this past year, but it’s clear that his overall achievement has been enough to secure another shot at success.
With the Steelers having locked down the services of their long-time head coach for another few years, work can now begin on the reconstruction of the roster, something that the team undoubtedly needs if its to become a contender.
Mike Tomlin extends with Pittsburgh Steelers
According to an announcement from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, head coach Mike Tomlin has agreed to a three-year contract extension. Tomlin is of course the longest-tenured coach in the NFL and will now be tied to the franchise through the 2027 season. “Mike Tomlin’s leadership and commitment to the Steelers have been pivotal to our success during his first 17 years as head coach,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said in a statement. “Extending his contract for three more years reflects our confidence in his ability to guide the team back to winning playoff games and championships while continuing our tradition of success.”
Tomlin is of course the man who led the Steelers to a Super Bowl XLIII victory in 2009, becoming the youngest NFL head coach in history to win a Super Bowl at the time. In total, he has amassed a record of 173-100-2 as Pittsburgh’s coach, and as has been well documented, has never registered a losing season in 17 straight years, which is an NFL record.
“I am appreciative for this contract extension and thankful for Art Rooney II for his support during my first 17 years in Pittsburgh,” Tomlin said in a statement. “We are continuing to work diligently to get back to where we belong – sustained playoff success with the ultimate goal of winning the franchise’s seventh Lombardi Trophy. “I am very excited to get the 2024 season underway and provide our fans with a memorable year.”
To be fair, the announcement of Tomlin’s renewal isn’t completely a surprise after the 52-year-old has acknowledged earlier this year that he would be back in Pittsburgh in 2024. That said, the doubts surrounding his position were justified given the team’s struggles in recent years. Yet, according to Steelers owner Art Rooney II, Tomlin was always the first choice. “The players still respond to Mike, and that’s No. 1,” Rooney said in January. “He can keep the attention of 20-year-olds for a whole season and keep them in the fight the whole way. If I didn’t feel Mike could lead us to a championship, he wouldn’t be here.”