After Mike Tomlin stepped down following 19 seasons as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s widely expected that the Super Bowl-winning head coach will wind up on Fox. But while Bill Simmons isn’t as sold as everybody else seems to be that the ex-Steelers coach will be an instant hit as a TV analyst, he also sees a need for the network to improve its product.
“I do think Fox could maybe use a little Botox, an injection,” The Ringer founder said on Friday’s episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast. “I thought Fox was pretty brutal this year… I feel like the mix has kind of gotten stale on the Fox show. So I think [Tomlin would help].”
While Simmons didn’t specify his criticism beyond calling the studio show “stale,” his reference to Botox could indicate a belief that Fox NFL Sunday needs to get younger. To that end, the 53-year-old Tomlin would seemingly bring a youthful energy, especially considering that he’d effectively be filling the void left by Jimmy Johnson, who retired following the 2024 season.
Simmons also floated NBC as a possibility for Tomlin, noting the potential for the Comcast-owned network to make a big show of what would be a splashy new hire during its coverage of Super Bowl LX next month. But while it seems like a foregone conclusion that Tomlin will wind up in someone’s studio next season, the-ex ESPN columnist said that he’d prefer to see more former head coaches step into the broadcast booth as game analysts, a role he believes better suits their skillsets.
As for Tomlin’s outlook as a studio analyst, Simmons expressed excitement, but also concern about what the Hampton, Virginia, native will and won’t be willing to say.
“I’m excited to have him on TV,” he said. “I don’t know if he’s gonna be as good as everybody seems to think he’s gonna be on TV. I reserve judgment, ’cause I think he’s coming back to the league. Those guys always scare me and it’s like, ‘I’ll do TV but I don’t wanna be too hard.'”
Maybe that’s how all of this will play out. Or perhaps, Tomlin will provide Fox NFL Sunday with the Botox injection the Sports Guy believes it needs.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.