Mike Tomlin’s decided to leave The Steelers are in the midst of an unusual coaching search after a disastrous loss in the AFC Wild Card round.

Tomlin did not specify the reason for his departure in a statement released Tuesday, but he thanked owner Art Rooney II and the late Ambassador Rooney for their trust over nearly two decades.

Tomlin concluded: “While this chapter is coming to an end, my respect and love for the Pittsburgh Steelers will never change. I am excited for the future of this organization and I will be forever grateful for my time coaching in Pittsburgh.” statement.

Rooney II and Omar Khan will oversee the coaching search, with Rooney calling Tomlin’s decision unexpected but not surprising.

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Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II and head coach Mike Tomlin prior to the game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 23, 2018; New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chuck Cook/USA TODAY Sports)

“It was his decision and I would say I’m not shocked but I didn’t expect the conversation yesterday either,” Rooney said. “… I would certainly love to try again next year with Mike, and that’s what I wanted to talk about yesterday, but things went the other way.”

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Tomlin has two years left on his contract with the Steelers, and any team that wants to hire him before 2027 will need to provide compensation to Pittsburgh. Rooney acknowledged Tomlin’s prospects of coaching later this year were slim and provided more context about his departure, saying it was largely due to his personal life.

Pittsburgh Steelers owner and team president Art Rooney II watches the game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 22, 2022. (Nick Kammet/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

“Mike said he doesn’t expect to be coaching in the near future,” Rooney said. “I think he wants to spend time with his family and do things that he hasn’t been able to do in many years. So if something like that comes up, we’ll deal with it as it comes up, but it doesn’t seem to be on his radar.”

Rooney said he, Khan and other key decision-makers would be open to a rare coaching search.

“I’ve been involved in a lot of coach (Bill) Cowher searches and general manager searches,” Looney said, reflecting on past coaching searches. “I think if I’ve learned anything in terms of searching, it’s to have an open mind. The first time we interviewed Mike, we certainly didn’t expect him to be our head coach. I think you just go through the process and be diligent and hopefully find the right guy.”

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (right) stands on the sideline during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff game against the Houston Texans on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Gene J. Puska/AP Photo)

When asked about the qualities he looks for in candidates, Rooney said leadership is the most important.

“I think there are a lot of factors that go into being a successful head coach,” Rooney said. “No. 1, in my opinion, is leadership, trusting that person to be able to get in front of the team day in and day out, get their attention and inspire them to do what they do. That’s the most important thing.”

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After defeating the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 to lock up the AFC North and the final spot in the NFL playoffs, the Steelers scored just six points in Monday’s game Lost to the Houston Texans.

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