Though an extension has seemed inevitable since the offseason, Mike Tomlin is officially under contract through 2027. With a chance to truly become one of the longest-tenured coaches in NFL history, he’s also paid as one of the highest one ever. Appearing on KOA Sports with Big Al & JoJo Monday, Rapoport shed some light on Tomlin’s desire to stay with the team. One that matched Pittsburgh’s desire to keep him.
“He wanted to be back, he wanted to be in Pittsburgh,” Rapoport said of Tomlin. “It’s a great organization. Obviously the familiarity is good. But I think his sort of belief in the organization is really strong as well. He goes back, among the highest-paid coaches in NFL history. Which is not a surprise, I don’t think. It’s not just that because with money comes kind of his value to the organization. And I believe they compensated him well for that as well.”
Because coaches aren’t paid as part of the salary cap, there is no public disclosure of their salaries. Rapoport doesn’t provide an exact figure but Tomlin figures to have been paid top-dollar, keeping his status as one of the highest-paid head coaches. A 2022 Sportico article listed Tomlin earning $12.5 million per season, fourth in the NFL behind Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, and Sean McVay.
With Belichick and Carroll no longer head coaches, Tomlin has moved up the list. An NBC article from last season pegged Sean Payton earning $18 million per season. Tomlin probably didn’t reach that figure but likely challenged and perhaps surpassed McVay’s $14 million figure.
Hired in 2007, Tomlin boasts a career regular season record of 173-100-2. An impressive mark though his 8-10 playoff record, losing his last five chances, is a streak that must change.
Like Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin figures to go out on his own terms. With a three-year extension poised to make him Pittsburgh’s coach for 21 seasons, he’s showing no indication of retiring or moving on. During his new deal, he should surpass Noll for most regular season wins in Steelers’ history. And assuming he averages nine wins over his next four years, he’ll crack the top seven in NFL history. For Pittsburgh, that type of resume was worth a hefty paycheck.
