The Mike Tomlin Bears Possibility Just Got Another Huge Jolt

Not long ago, I reported that the Chicago Bears are closely monitoring the Mike Tomlin situation in Pittsburgh. It's no secret that, at this point, the Steelers head coach is in a precarious position. The team has lost three in a row, including two to backup quarterbacks. Some players appear to have tuned him out, leading to some highly questionable effort on the field. Couple that with his inability to fix the offense over the past couple of years, and fans are fed up. They want him gone.

Tomlin has multiple admirers inside Halas Hall. One of them is George McCaskey, who has personal ties to the Steelers organization going back to the days of his grandfather, George Halas. Another is team president Kevin Warren, who worked with Tomlin in Minnesota before heading to Pittsburgh. There is a strong belief he could bring credibility to the head coaching position this organization desperately needs. If people weren't sure the Bears were interested before, Diana Russini of The Athletic provided more fuel to the fire.

"Tomlin’s contract expires in 2024, and it’s well known the Steelers organization won’t engage in extension talks with players or coaches during the season. So we wait and see. There has been chatter that perhaps the Steelers would consider trading Tomlin to Washington, Chicago or even Carolina to get back some picks. I think that’s a move the Jets should consider if they aren’t sold on their current staff, but I also know the Steelers understand the value of Tomlin in their city.

Now, if you follow along every week, you are probably thinking, “You just told us two weeks ago that it’s not the Steelers’ style to move on! They are patient and cautious!” I will continue to share with you that based on my conversations, there still is a good chance Tomlin is the Steelers’ head coach in 2024."

The widespread belief is straightforward.

Most don't think the Steelers will be the ones to push Tomlin out. They have a long history of not firing head coaches, especially one who hasn't had a losing season yet in his career. If a change does happen, it would likely be instigated by Tomlin. He could request his walking papers, hoping for a new challenge elsewhere. Ryan Clark played defensive back under him for seven seasons from 2007 through 2013. He believes the head coach can and should move on. The players on that Steelers roster don't listen to him anymore.

“Coach Tomlin should now move on from Pittsburgh,” Clark said. “Everyone should line up to hire him because the fricking man knows how to do it, but he shouldn’t do it there anymore.”

“I think he got settled into that, ‘If I let these dudes be who they are, if I let these dudes just play, if I put them in the best position to get to Sunday and treat them a certain way, they’re going to reward me,'” Clark said. “These dudes ain’t rewarding him. These dudes are taking advantage of him.”

Mike Tomlin may come down to cost.

If he does become available, the Bears would almost certainly have to trade for him. Then it becomes about cost. His track record of success makes it likely it would cost a couple of high draft picks to get him. Denver sent a 1st round pick and 2nd round pick to the New Orleans Saints for Sean Payton. That is likely the ballpark Chicago would be looking at if they want to land Tomlin. He's 52 years old with more head coaching experience than almost anybody in the league. He has won seven division titles, made the playoffs ten times, and won a Super Bowl in 2008.

The Bears have two 1st round picks this year. They could also give up their 1st in 2025 if they don't want to surrender what will likely be two top-10 selections. Doing it that way would allow them to possibly maneuver around the board to recoup some of what they lose in a Mike Tomlin trade. Nothing is set in stone. Pittsburgh still has three games left. They may steady the ship enough to quiet the noise. On the other hand, their three remaining games are against Cincinnati, Seattle, and Baltimore. If they lose out, things could get wild.