PITTSBURGH — Mike Tomlin is not going wherever.
Days after strolling out of a postgame information convention throughout a query about his future, the Pittsburgh Steelers coach stated that his hearth for the job has “intensified” and that he expects to get a contract extension this offseason.
“I count on to be again, and I might think about that these contract issues are going to run their course,” Tomlin stated at his end-of-season information convention Thursday. “Artwork [Rooney II] and I’ve a extremely good, clear relationship. We talk regularly typically. I do not think about it will be a difficulty, and I think about it will get achieved in a well timed method on the acceptable time, however my mindset is to educate his soccer crew.”
Rooney later advised the Pittsburgh Put up-Gazette the crew does “plan to increase Mike’s contract.”
Tomlin additionally defined his walk-off through the remaining query of the information convention after the wild-card loss to the Buffalo Payments and acknowledged that he did not deal with it effectively.
“I actually may have dealt with that scenario higher than I did,” Tomlin stated. “However I will additionally say this, I simply imagine there is a time and place for every part and postgame press conferences are in all probability not the place to deal with contract points and issues of that nature. It is only a very particular person factor, and on recreation day I doubt any of us are in that mindset, Actually I’m not.”
Tomlin signed a three-year contract extension in 2021, tying him to the crew by means of the 2024 season. Exterior hypothesis swirled late within the season that the coach may contemplate stepping away for a yr after the 2023 season, however Tomlin laughed and responded with a easy, “no” when requested whether or not he had advised anybody he had thought-about taking a break.
“I perceive hypothesis is a element of what it’s that we do,” Tomlin stated. “I attempt to not get caught up in it or distracted by it, notably when it isn’t the place I am at. And in order that’s been my mindset relating to it.”
Tomlin, who’s set to enter his 18th season because the Steelers’ head coach, stated his course of for evaluating his future on the finish of every season hasn’t modified.
“I coach soccer; that is what I do,” Tomlin stated. “I am respectful of the place that I maintain. I’ve no sense of entitlement when it comes to what I do. I simply obtained a excessive stage of respect for what all of us do on this house, and I attempt to earn it every day, and I feel that is simply my mentality.
“I do not ponder quite a lot of issues. I am appreciative of issues every day, and I attempt to work with urgency every day, and I do not know that that has modified. It in all probability hasn’t from my perspective. I am all the time on go.”
That “go” mentality and his expertise additionally leads him to imagine he is nonetheless the correct particular person to guide the Steelers, regardless of not having received a playoff recreation since 2016.
“Fifty-one years of life,” he stated, explaining why he is the person for the job. “I discussed that — I feel on this setting earlier — I am not missing confidence in my capability to do the job, whereas on the identical time there’s frustration as a result of I need that confetti for this group.
“And so no matter we obtained to do to do it, no matter modifications must be made, I am open to it.”
Though he acknowledged that there’s significance to the extension this time round due to the safety it could present to candidates for the vacant offensive coordinator place, Tomlin downplayed the urgency and significance of the timing to get it achieved.
“That is a element of it,” Tomlin stated. “Fielding much less questions from you guys relating to these issues is a element of it, however that is in all probability the one stage of significance for me, to be fairly sincere with you; safety is cool, however it’s not a high precedence for me.
“I’ve seen quite a bit. I am not job-scared, however it does present much less questions and issues of that nature.”
Tomlin stated Thursday that he anticipates making an out of doors rent at offensive coordinator, that means that Eddie Faulkner and Mike Sullivan, who break up the coordinator duties after the in-season firing of Matt Canada, will not reprise these roles subsequent season.
“I need us to be versatile and dynamic,” Tomlin stated, describing what he is in search of in an offensive coordinator. “Clearly we obtained to attain extra factors. I need to have the ability to preserve defenses off-balance. I wish to make the most of all of the expertise that we’ve got at our disposal. I am enthusiastic about this course of and the expertise pool on the market.”
Though Tomlin plans to go outdoors the group for an offensive coordinator, he stated the beginning quarterback for the 2024 season is already in-house. He dedicated to Kenny Pickett resuming his position because the starter however added that Pickett may have competitors.
“There’s all the time competitors on this factor,” Tomlin stated. “We do not anoint anybody, man. I am appreciative of his efforts and the place he’s and enthusiastic about persevering with to work with him, however actually he can be challenged from a contest perspective shifting ahead. Competitors brings the perfect out in all of us.”
Quarterback Mason Rudolph, who turned in constant and stable performances in 4 begins to finish the season, is about to be a free agent, however Tomlin expressed a need to convey him again.
“I can not underscore how spectacular it’s to be prepared — neglect efficiency man — to be able to ship, and he was,” Tomlin stated of Rudolph. “And that preparedness confirmed, and so actually we’re much less speculative about his capabilities as a result of there’s proof of it, proof of it in robust circumstances.”
