Bill Cowher, the only other living former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, offered his immediate reflections on Mike Tomlin's decision to step down. In a podcast appearance, Cowher praised Tomlin's tenure and suggested the move was premeditated. The announcement came just 15 hours after the Steelers' season ended.
Mike Tomlin's departure as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers marks the end of an era, with only two people alive having held the position: Tomlin and his predecessor, Bill Cowher. The news broke on January 13, 2026, prompting Cowher to share his thoughts shortly after on Sirius’ Movin’ the Chains podcast with Pat Miller and Jim Kirwan.
“I just found out about it just a very short while ago,” Cowher said. “Listen, it’s a special place. Mike has done a fantastic job there. Integral part of that community.”
Cowher noted the rapid timeline of the announcement, which came roughly 15 hours after the Steelers' season concluded. He speculated that Tomlin had likely decided in advance, consulting with his wife Kiya and family. “He made a decision today, but I think he also probably had, probably made a decision prior to today,” Cowher remarked. “Make that kind of a quick decision like that without giving a lot of forethought. And I’m sure he has with [wife] Kiya and his family. I wish him nothing but the best. He’s been a tremendous head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The way he represented that organization.”
Cowher's own exit provides context. He stepped down on January 5, 2007, citing burnout and his late wife's health issues among layered reasons. In his 2021 book, Heart and Steel, he wrote: “No single event triggered my decision. Everything in my life had been structured around football. And I was afraid. My fear was, the longer I stayed as Coach Cowher, with a life completely tailored to football, the more difficult it would be to ever experience a different type of life.”
Tomlin, who surprisingly replaced Cowher weeks later, now follows a similar path, leaving on his own terms—a rarity in sports. Tomlin has issued only a written statement so far, leaving Cowher's words as a key early perspective on the transition.
