Mike Tomlin has made a shocking decision about his coaching career.

While many wanted the Pittsburgh Steelers to fire Mike Tomlin after their first-round elimination in the 2025 NFL playoffs, it was a surprise for many to see that the long-time coach stepped down as the team’s leader. Following a disappointing 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans on Monday, Tomlin called it quits.

A lot has been said about his future, with plenty of teams being mentioned as potential landing spots for the veteran. Others floated the idea of seeing Tomlin take a TV job to bring his expertise to the media.

Tomlin never posted a losing record during his 19-year tenure in Pittsburgh. He left the franchise after posting a 193-114-2 record. He took the team to two Super Bowls, winning one. Fresh off his firing, speculation about whether teams would trade for him circulated, but Tomlin has reportedly made a final decision on his future.

Mike Tomlin To Retire From Coaching Permanently

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)
MLFootball on X shared on Thursday that Mike Tomlin decided to call it a career following his exit from the Steelers. Ronde Barber, a close friend of Tomlin, shared a private conversation with the coach. Per Barber, Tomlin wants to be done with coaching after 2025.

“I think he’s done. I think he wants to be done,” Barber said.

Tomlin took over from Bill Cowherd, one of the best coaches in franchise history. The job wasn’t easy, but he didn’t back down to the challenge. Many fans wanted him gone before this season, but others thought he would do fine in another franchise.