Mike Tomlin Joins NBC as Studio Analyst After 19 Seasons with Steelers
Former Steelers head coach, 53, will appear on Football Night in America pregame show, marking his first fall off NFL sideline in two decades
Quick Look
- Mike Tomlin, former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, is joining NBC's Football Night in America as a studio analyst for the 2026 season, marking his first fall off an NFL sideline in two decades.
- Tomlin, 53, resigned in January after 19 seasons with a 193-114-2 regular-season record and a Super Bowl XLIII win in 2009.
- He becomes the second former Steelers coach to enter broadcasting, following Bill Cowher who joined CBS in 2007.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Mike Tomlin was the longest-tenured head coach of a North American professional sports franchise prior to his resignation. He compiled a 193-114-2 regular-season record and an 8-12 postseason record, never finishing below .500 in 19 seasons. At 36, he became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl until Sean McVay broke that record in 2022.
For the first time in two decades, Mike Tomlin won't be on an NFL sideline this fall. Tomlin, known for his one-of-a-kind oration, will be in the studio instead. The former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach is joining NBC's Sunday night pregame show, "Football Night in America," as a studio analyst, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday. Talks between Tomlin and the network picked up steam in Augusta, Georgia, two weeks ago, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Tomlin, 53, is the second former Steelers head coach to make a foray into broadcasting, joining his predecessor, Bill Cowher, who joined CBS as a studio analyst in 2007 after stepping down from the Steelers. Cowher never returned to coaching. Tomlin resigned as the Steelers' head coach in January after 19 seasons at the helm of the franchise. The longest-tenured head coach of a North American professional sports franchise prior to his resignation, Tomlin compiled a 193-114-2 regular-season record, 8-12 postseason record and never finished below .500. At 36, Tomlin won Super Bowl XLIII in his second season with the Steelers, becoming the youngest head coach at the time to win a Super Bowl until Sean McVay, a younger 36, won the Lombardi Trophy in February 2022. The Steelers returned to the Super Bowl the next year, but they lost to Aaron Rodgers' Green Bay Packers. Tomlin never returned to the Super Bowl in his final 15 seasons, and his recent postseason forays were fruitless. Tomlin's last postseason victory was an 18-16 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016, and his final game on the sideline in Pittsburgh was a 30-6 loss in a wild-card game to the Houston Texans in January. The Athletic first reported Tomlin's hiring at NBC on Tuesday.
Open Questions
- What specific role will Tomlin have on Football Night in America?
- Will Tomlin consider returning to coaching in the future?
- How will Tomlin's broadcasting style translate to studio analysis?






