Even before Mike Tomlin officially stepped down as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, many had already begun to speculate about his future career as a television star.
But while most have assumed that the Super Bowl-winning head coach is a natural fit for a pregame studio show, at least one Pittsburgh media member isn’t so sure.
Toward the end of Tuesday night’s episode of Kaboly and Mack, longtime Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly discussed Tomlin’s future on television. Unlike many, The Pat McAfee Show correspondent expressed skepticism regarding the 53-year-old’s media outlook, stating that he doesn’t believe that Tomlin is as natural of a fit as he’s been made out to be.
“If you’re giving me $25 million, I’m doing it, but I don’t know,” Kaboly said when asked about Tomlin’s future on TV.
The former beat writer for The Athletic proceeded to note that Fox has seemingly emerged as the frontrunner in the race for Tomlin’s services, which could make for an awkward fit considering his history with Terry Bradshaw. But even if the two Steelers legends are able to overcome their past issues with each other, Kaboly remains skeptical that Tomlin will live up to the hype.
“I even saw PTI briefly today and they’re talking about how great Tomlin would be on TV. Pat [McAfee] was talking about it,” he said. “I don’t see it, but I’d be willing to watch it… I just don’t think he would be built for that.”
Kaboly’s comments are certainly notable, as he had a front row seat to all 19 years of the Tomlin era in Pittsburgh. While others might see a charismatic and accomplished former head coach who’s always issuing the perfect soundbit, Kaboly seemingly sees someone who won’t be willing to play along with some of the silliness and forced arguments that studio shows are often filled with.
Nevertheless, it appears to be a matter of not “if” but rather “when” the ex-Steelers head coach will officially make the jump to media. And at that point, we’ll find out how Kaboly’s apparent hot take stacks up against the overwhelming sentiment regarding Tomlin’s TV future.
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.