Mike Tomlin sounds content in his NBC role, but a coaching return remains an open question

Mike Tomlin’s first season in the broadcast booth appears to be agreeing with him, even as speculation persists about whether the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers head coach could eventually return to an NFL sideline.

Former Patriots safety Devin McCourty, now Tomlin’s colleague on NBC’s Football Night in America, offered a vivid picture of how the 54-year-old is adjusting to life away from coaching. Appearing on Kay Adams’ Up & Adams, McCourty recounted a conversation at MetLife Stadium in which Tomlin described sleeping in for the first time in more than two decades — after staying up late watching college football, including a Hawaii game he admitted he had no particular stake in.

According to McCourty, Tomlin said he felt no anxiety and was simply “coming to work” to have fun. McCourty added that Tomlin performed well during the Seattle broadcast week and that his sit-down interview with Ravens coach John Harbaugh looked “so natural.”

Still, Tomlin has not closed the door on coaching. In a preseason preview with Cris and Jac Collinsworth on PFF, he said he has learned to “never say never” and acknowledged that he still misses the disciplined seven-day rhythm of preparing for games.

Reporting has also suggested that NBC — the sports and entertainment property of Comcast (CMCSA, which closed at $23.77 before trading down to $22.91, a 3.62% decline, valuing the company at roughly $92.5 billion) — structured Tomlin’s contract with backloaded compensation, an arrangement that could give him a financial reason to remain in the booth rather than pursue a return to the sideline.

His post-coaching life has included personal time that a 19-year head-coaching tenure never allowed: a family reunion he had not attended since 1997 and a Minecraft city he has been building for more than a decade, alongside the late-night college football viewing sessions McCourty described.

Tomlin’s comfort in the role stands in contrast to the league-wide interest that would likely follow any hint he is ready to coach again. As McCourty noted, people around the league continue to wonder when — or whether — their favorite teams might call.

What to watch

• Tomlin’s continued on-air performance and role on NBC’s Sunday night NFL coverage throughout the season.
• Any coaching vacancies or team inquiries that could test his “never say never” stance in future offseasons.
• Further details on the structure of his NBC contract and any extensions.

Source: original release