Mike Tomlin seems to be enjoying his life since his departure as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tomlin stepped down from the top job in Pittsburgh this past offseason after nearly two decades with the organization, leaving him a free agent for the first time since he ascended to the head coaching gig in 2007.
Rather than find another team, Tomlin instead decided to take on a new role in the media this year, joining NBC’s Football Night in America team for the upcoming NFL season.
Speaking with Dan Patrick on Thursday, Tomlin sounded mighty happy with the decision, expressing childlike delight at being able to enjoy his summer for the first time in years.
“I am having the time of my life to be quite honest with you,” Tomlin said of his extended break, adding that he hadn’t “had an August” since he was around eight years old due to always being at football camps.
“My pulse rate’s a lot lower. It’s crazy how quickly you can get used to chilling. I’ve enjoyed 2026, man. The free time,” Tomlin said. “Had an opportunity to really just focus on my wellness, getting into shape, things of that nature. When you lead a football team, a football organization, sometimes you put yourself last. So it’s been good to focus on some things like that and really have time to be present with my family and friends.”
Tomlin added that he was able to attend his family reunion this summer for the first time since 1997.
“My family was laughing that I was there,” he said. “It’s been a good summer. I hear I’m pretty pleasant to be around these days.”
“It’s crazy how quickly you can get used to chilling…” — @CoachTomlin on post-coaching life pic.twitter.com/2PorKiLm93
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) September 3, 2026
Tomlin made his debut with the NBC crew during the preseason and seems poised for a big year. Whether he stays in media or returns to NFL coaching remains an open question.
At 54, he has plenty of years left on the sidelines if he wants them, and his track record of success would put him near the top of the list for any teams looking for a new coach in the coming offseason. But if Tomlin really is enjoying his new lifestyle as much as he says he does, maybe he’ll stay on the broadcast side of things for another year.
About Tyler Lauletta
Tyler is a editorial contributor at Awful Announcing, with previous stops at Sports Illustrated and Business Insider during his career covering sports in digital media. He is, begrudgingly, a Truster of the Process and general Philly sports sicko.