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Mike Tomlin, after 19 NFL seasons and one Super Bowl championship, stepped down as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Tomlin’s decision came hours after the Steelers suffered an AFC Wild Card defeat to the Houston Texans on Monday night. The Steelers’ offense couldn’t break through the Texans’ tough defense even while forcing the Texans’ offense to turn the ball over three times.

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Mike Tomlin looks on

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, right, stands on the sideline during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff game against the Houston Texans in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 12, 2026. (Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo)

He was the first Steelers coach to have a nine-year stretch without a playoff win. However, he also never had a losing season as head coach. Pittsburgh won eight AFC North titles and captured the Super Bowl in Tomlin’s second season as head coach.

Steelers fans had grown tired of Tomlin toward the back half of last season as the team finished 10-7 and lost in the Wild Card Round. He managed to coach his team through multiple injuries and the late arrival of Aaron Rodgers to the roster to guide the team to another 10-7 record. But with the same result, fans made their voices heard as they were losing to the Texans.

STEELERS' AARON RODGERS WALKS OUT OF PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER DEFENDING MIKE TOMLIN FROM CRITICISM

Mike Tomlin looks on

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stands on the field before an AFC wild-card game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 12, 2026. (Barry Reeger/Imagn Images)

"During our meeting today, Coach Tomlin informed me that he has decided to step down as our Head Coach," Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement. "Obviously, I am extremely grateful to Mike for all the hard work, dedication and success we have shared over the last 19 years. It is hard for me to put into words the level of respect and appreciation I have for Coach Tomlin. He guided the franchise to our sixth Super Bowl championship and made the playoffs 13 times during his tenure, including winning the AFC North eight times in his career. His track record of never having a losing season in 19 years will likely never be duplicated.

"My family and I, and everyone connected to Steelers management, are forever grateful for the passion and dedication Mike Tomlin has devoted to Steelers football."

What happens next for Tomlin is very much up in the air. He’s been linked to potential NFL head-coaching jobs in a cycle that’s already been wacky. He’s also been linked as potential TV commentator should he forgo going back on the sideline.

For the Steelers, the organization will have to decide who will fill the shoes of a coach that continued its dynastic run. The team had Chuck Noll from 1969 to 1991 and Bill Cowher from 1992 to 2007.

Mike Tomlin walks off

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin walks off the field after his team fell 30-6 to the Houston Texans during an NFL wild-card game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 12, 2026. (IMAGN)

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The next Steelers head coach will be expected to continue building up on the foundation that was laid by Noll and continued by his successors.

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