Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said the timing was right for both him and the organization when he stepped down after 19 seasons without a losing record.

Tomlin, who guided the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XLIII in the 2008 season, told NBC on Sunday night in his first interview since resigning in January that the lack of postseason success — no playoff wins since 2016 — figured into what was a difficult decision.

“You know, it’s probably not an overnight decision,” said Tomlin, 54. “It’s probably not something that I could articulate or share with people. There’s a loneliness with leadership.

“I just thought it was a good time for me personally and by that, I mean, just where I am in life and I thought it was a good time for the organization, to be quite honest with you. We didn’t have success in the playoffs in recent years and there’s just some veteran players there, man, guys like Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt and (Chris) Boswell, man, that I thought that just were worthy of the excitement and the optimism of new leadership.”

Tomlin will join NBC as an NFL pregame show analyst on “Football Night in America,” the network officially announced on Sunday. The show airs ahead of “Sunday Night Football.”

“I just thought it would be a great way to stay connected to the game and the awesome people in it, players, coaches, executives,” Tomlin said, “and excited about doing that on Sunday night and traveling to different venues and getting that feel for the environment and lastly, I just thought it would be awesome to share insight with fellow football lovers.

“I love to talk football and so that’s just an exciting component for me. I got to admit, though, there’s going to be some anxiety about stepping into a new space, but good anxiety, it’s good to be uncomfortable with the growth associated with that. I’m fired up about it.”

The Steelers went 10-7 in 2025 with a 30-6 wild-card loss to the Houston Texans on Jan. 12. He was replaced by Pittsburgh native and veteran head coach Mike McCarthy in late January.

Tomlin guided the Steelers to the Super Bowl XLIII title with a 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in February 2009. Pittsburgh lost Super Bowl XLV to quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, 31-25, in February 2011.

Tomlin posted a 193-114-2 record with Pittsburgh, tying him with Hall of Fame member Chuck Noll for the most regular-seasons win franchise history and ninth in NFL history. Noll also coached the Steelers (1969-91), with Bill Cowher (1992-2007) bridging the gap between Noll and Tomlin.

Rodgers, who played for McCarthy in Green Bay and with Tomlin last season, hasn’t announced his intentions for 2026 — return, retirement or something else. Tomlin predicted Rodgers, 42, will play his 22nd NFL season for the Steelers.

“Man, if you got a gun to my head, I’d say it’s AR,” Tomlin said. “I just think, Aaron, I just think being around him for the 12 months that I’m around him, he’s got a love affair with the game of football and not only the game, but the process, the informal moments, the development of younger guys, the interaction with teammates. I think he has an addiction to that, and there’s only one way to feed it. And certainly he is still capable and in really good shape. And so I think at the end of the day, he’ll play football.”

–Field Level Media

Monte Coleman, who won three Super Bowls while playing linebacker his entire NFL career for the Washington franchise, died on Sunday. He was 68.

A cause of death was not given in announcements by the Washington Commanders as well as by Arkansas Pine Bluff, where Coleman was head coach at his hometown university from 2008-17 and was 40-71. The Golden Lions won the Southwestern Athletic Conference title in 2012 as well as the Boxtorow HBCU Division I coaches’ national championship.

“Coach Coleman represented everything we strive for at UAPB — excellence, integrity, and a relentless commitment to developing our student-athletes,” UAPB athletic director Chris Robinson said in a statement. “His legacy is not only written in championships and honors, but in the lives he changed every single day.”

A legend. A leader. A Golden Lion forever. ?????

We mourn the loss of Coach Monte Coleman, whose impact on UAPB Football and countless lives will never be forgotten.

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— ???????????? ?????????? ?????????????????? (@UAPBLionsRoar) April 26, 2026

The first player drafted from Central Arkansas, Coleman went to Washington in the 11th round of the 1979 NFL Draft, which was 12 rounds at the time.

He played 16 seasons, all for Washington, and totaled 1,002 tackles (999 solo), 49.5 sacks, 17 interceptions (three returned for touchdowns), 13 forced fumbles and 14 fumble recoveries in 215 regular-season games (62 starts) from 1979-94.

Coleman also played in 21 playoff games (five starts) and recorded five tackles, 4.5 sacks and two interceptions.

Washington won Super Bowl championships in 1982, 1987 and 1991 and played in the 1983 game.

“Monte Coleman was one of the greatest players in Washington history,” Commanders owner Josh Harris said in a statement. “He was one of the pillars of our championship defenses having played for all three Super Bowl-winning teams. His durability and leadership set the standard for what it meant to suit up for the Burgundy & Gold.”

Coleman ranks second in franchise history in total games played and solo tackles, and sixth in sacks.

He was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and Washington’s Ring of Fame in 2015.

“That was one of the greatest accolades I’ve ever received,” Coleman said of his Washington honor. “To be listed among those players, I will always cherish that. That means a whole lot to me.”

Coleman is survived by his wife of 43 years Yvette and his children Jasmine, Kyndall, Kyle, Corey and Londie.

–Field Level Media