Steelers HC Mike Tomlin among Top-5 Highest-Paid Coaches in U.S. Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is among the top-5 highest-paid coaches in U.S. Sports, according to Michael McCann of Sportico.

Tomlin, who makes a whopping $16 million per year, is tied with Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh at No. 5. Only Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs ($17 million), Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors ($17.5 million), Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos ($18 million) and Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs ($20 million) make more per year.

Mike Tomlin wasn’t kidding when he said he was highly compensated when asked about the bold decision to start Russell Wilson over Justin Fields, which worked out swimmingly in the Steelers’ Week 7 win over the New York Jets.

Tomlin and Harbaugh both received big raises this year. According to Sportico, Tomlin earned an estimated $12.5 million under his prior Steelers contact, but Pittsburgh extended the longtime coach for three years through the 2027 season. Tomlin, who is in his 18th season with the Steelers, is currently the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL

Harbaugh ranked 31st last year under his Michigan contract worth $8.3 million annually before incentives. The Chargers inked a 5-year, $80 million deal with Harbaugh this offseason. 

The Steelers currently sit at 8-3 and atop of the AFC North. The Steelers over/under win total heading into 2024 was 8.5. No one expected them to be in the position they are in now, and that’s why Tomlin is the running for NFL Coach of the Year. Tomlin is also on the verge of clinching his 18th consecutive non-losing season. He has never had a losing season during his tenure as head coach.

Overall, the Steelers haven’t had a losing season since 2003, which is by far the longest active streak in the NFL. If they beat/tie the Cincinnati Bengals next Sunday, the Steelers would tie the longest non-losing season streak in NFL history with the Dallas Cowboys’ 21-year run from 1965-85. The Steelers finished 8-8 four times over the past two decades (2006, 2012, 2013 and 2018). The next-longest streak of non-losing seasons is 19 by the New England Patriots. New England never had a below .500 season during their two separate dynasty eras from 2001 to 2019.

Only Tom Landry (21 seasons, 1965-1985) and Bill Belichick (19 seasons, 2001-2019) have more consecutive seasons without a losing record than Tomlin’s current 17. Landry had five consecutive losing seasons to start his career with the Dallas Cowboys, while Belichick had losing seasons in Cleveland and in his first season in New England. Tomlin holds the NFL record for the most consecutive non-losing seasons to start a coaching career with 17.

While the Steelers’ non-losing season streak is impressive and speaks to the Pittsburgh’s consistency, the organization’s main goal is to win playoff games and ultimately a Super Bowl this season. The Steelers are currently on a seven-year playoff win drought.

Steelers president Art Rooney II expressed this past offseason that he’s seen enough of the Steelers losing in the playoffs.

“We’ve had enough of this,” Rooney said. “It’s time to get some wins; it’s time to take these next steps.”

General manager Omar Khan echoed Rooney’s statement at the NFL owner’s meetings in Orlando in March.

“We all share that frustration that he has,” Khan said. “We’re sitting at home during the Super Bowl and that’s not where we want to be. And I think we all share that frustration and we all know we have to be better organizationally in every department.”