Mike Tomlin just stepped down as Steelers head coach, and there is no confirmed next destination yet, but the strongest expectation is that he will not coach a team in 2026 and instead move into TV or take a breather before returning to the sideline.

What’s actually known

  • Tomlin has decided to leave his role after 19 seasons in Pittsburgh, leaving the Steelers to search for a new head coach for the first time in nearly two decades.
  • Reports from major NFL insiders say that if he doesn’t coach in 2026, it will be by his own choice, not because he was fired, and that he’ll have “whatever he wants” next, except coaching the Steelers.
  • Because he stepped down rather than being fired, the Steelers still hold his contractual rights, so any NFL team wanting him immediately would have to work out a trade with Pittsburgh.

Where he’s most likely to go

Current reporting points to three realistic lanes for Tomlin’s near future, none of which are locked in:

  1. TV / broadcasting gig
    • Multiple outlets note that television networks are expected to chase Tomlin for analyst roles, similar to what Sean Payton did when he stepped away for a year.
 * This path lets him stay around the NFL without the grind of 24/7 coaching and has been specifically floated by several prominent insiders.
  1. Taking a year off
    • Insiders have repeatedly mentioned that Tomlin could simply take the 2026 season off to recharge after nearly 20 years in one of the league’s most intense jobs.
 * With his résumé and reputation, there is no pressure to rush; he can step away and still expect heavy interest when or if he decides to come back.
  1. Future NFL head-coaching job (but likely not right away)
    • If he wants to coach again, reports stress that many NFL teams would line up, since almost no one on the market has his combination of tenure and success.
 * However, because the Steelers still control his rights, a team would currently need to negotiate a trade, which makes an immediate jump less straightforward and reinforces the sense that a pause or media stint is more probable first.

How forums and fans are talking about it

In forums and talk shows, the “where will Mike Tomlin go” debate has turned into a mix of speculation and wish-casting:

  • Some fans picture him on a big network set going back-and-forth with established TV personalities, especially given how comfortable and quotable he’s been in press conferences over the years.
  • Others are already fantasy-matching him with future openings on talent-heavy teams—franchises that might want a proven culture-builder once ownerships inevitably reshuffle coaching staffs over the next year or two.

The most grounded way to frame it right now:
Tomlin’s next stop is most likely a TV studio or a sabbatical, with a return to NFL coaching very much on the table down the line, but no specific team destination is set yet.

TL;DR: No one knows the exact team or job yet, but the smart bet for 2026 is either (a) a high-profile TV role or (b) a year off, with a strong chance of him coming back to the NFL as a head coach after that.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.