Steelers’ Art Rooney II not ‘shocked’ by Mike Tomlin’s decision, expects move to affect Aaron Rodgers

Rooney and the Steelers now find themselves in a largely unfamiliar place as one of nine teams seeking to fill a head coaching vacancy this cycle. Pittsburgh has famously only employed three head coaches since 1969: Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Tomlin.

Their search for a fourth has already begun. They should be expected to follow the standard hiring timeline — “it’ll take weeks, at least,” according to Rooney — but won’t necessarily seek the same archetype they’ve employed for the last 55 years of their existence. They also won’t consider anybody on their existing staff for the job, Rooney added.

“We’re gonna be an open book in terms of, you know, who we look for and the list that we build,” Rooney explained. “So, yeah, can I sign up for another Chuck Noll, or another Bill Cowher, or another Mike Tomlin? Sure. But, you know, somebody that, we feel, fits that mold would be great, but for now, we’re not gonna kind of narrow the box too much.”

Roster is obviously an element in the formula for finding their next coach. Quarterback is a massive question mark that has persisted since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in 2022, and general manager Omar Khan also needs to find a way to keep their defense — which includes a few older mainstays — competitive.

Rooney isn’t aiming to change Pittsburgh’s power structure with a new coach, instead seeking to replicate the same chain of command that worked for Noll, Cowher and Tomlin, which might eliminate some candidates who seek autonomy (or something resembling it) from consideration. If any franchise has earned this right, though, it’s the Steelers, a club that has long stood as a model of continuity in the constantly evolving landscape that is the NFL.

NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported later Wednesday that the Steelers have requested to interview Vikings DC Brian Flores (who spent the 2022 season on Tomlin’s staff in Pittsburgh), Rams DC Chris Shula, Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver and Chargers DC Jesse Minter.

Rooney seems to believe the Steelers’ method is plenty attractive for an aspiring coach and expects the new hire to keep them competitive, just as Tomlin famously did over his 19 seasons. The state of Pittsburgh’s roster will undoubtedly be a topic of conversation in coach interviews, Rooney said, but won’t be used as an excuse for a step back in 2026.

“I’m not sure why you waste a year of your life not trying to contend,” Rooney said. “Your roster is what it is every year. It changes every year. So, you deal with what you have every year. Try to put yourself in a position to compete every year. Sometimes you have the horses, sometimes you don’t. But I think you try every year.”

With their first coaching vacancy since the George W. Bush administration, the Steelers will have to make an even greater effort in the weeks ahead.