Even though Mike Tomlin has stated that he is not interested in taking on another coaching position, the Chicago Bears made an effort to at least ask about the possibility of trading for the 52-year-old. The Pittsburgh Steelers rejected a question from the Bears, and conversations never even reached Tomlin, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Another unidentified team considered dealing for Tomlin, but “halted its efforts” after discovering he had a no-trade clause in his contract, Schefter added. Fans and commentators questioned whether Tomlin should return after the Steelers’ 28-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card game on January 11. According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Gerry Dulac, the Steelers had no plans to move on from Tomlin.
When asked if he would be available through trade, Tomlin responded bluntly to reporters on Monday. He said, “Save your time,” Tomlin’s contract has a no-trade clause, which gives him complete control over any negotiations, even if the Steelers wanted to deal him. This is one of the reasons he can be so forthright about that topic. Last summer, the Steelers extended Tomlin’s contract by three years, through the 2027 campaign. He recently completed his 18th season in Pittsburgh, becoming him the NFL’s longest-tenured coach. It’s not shocking that Chicago is interested in Tomlin. After an unpredictable 2024 season in which Matt Eberflus was sacked on November 29 following a 4-8 start.
Since Caleb Williams was chosen with the first overall choice in the 2024 draft, the Bears would appear to be a desirable franchise for any prospect due to his potential. Williams completed with 3,541 throwing yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions despite having a patchy debut campaign. In contrast, quarterbacks for the Steelers totaled 3,264 yards, 21 touchdowns, and six interceptions. After finishing 10-7 and qualifying for the playoffs for the fourth time in the previous five seasons, the Steelers and Tomlin will not be splitting up this offseason.
