Mike Tomlin facts for kids
Tomlin in 2016
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| Pittsburgh Steelers | |
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| Position: | Head coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 15, 1972 Hampton, Virginia, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Denbigh (Newport News, Virginia) |
| College: | William & Mary (1990–1994) |
| Career history | |
| As coach: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
| As head coach:
As assistant coach:
NFL record
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| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season: | 183–107–2 (.630) |
| Postseason: | 8–11 (.421) |
| Career: | 191–118–2 (.617) |
| Coaching stats at PFR | |
Michael Pettaway Tomlin (born March 15, 1972) is a famous American football coach. He is the head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers team in the National Football League (NFL).
Since joining the Steelers in 2007, he has led the team to many successes. These include 12 playoff appearances and seven division titles. His team has played in three AFC Championship Games and two Super Bowls. In Super Bowl XLIII, his team won the championship.
When he was 36, Tomlin became the youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl. This record was later broken by Sean McVay. Tomlin holds a special NFL record. He has had 18 straight seasons without a losing record. This means his team has never won fewer games than they lost in a season. Only two other coaches, Tom Landry and Bill Belichick, have had longer streaks at any point. After Bill Belichick left the New England Patriots in 2023, Tomlin became the longest-serving active head coach in the NFL.
Contents
Early Life and College Football
Mike Tomlin was born in Hampton, Virginia. He has an older brother named Eddie. His father, Ed Tomlin, played football at Hampton University and later in the Canadian Football League. Mike was mostly raised by his mother and stepfather, Julia and Leslie Copeland. They got married when Mike was six years old.
Tomlin finished high school in 1990 at Denbigh High School in Newport News, Virginia. He then went to the College of William and Mary. He was a wide receiver on the football team. In 1994, he was chosen as a second-team All-Yankee Conference player.
Starting His Coaching Career
Tomlin's coaching journey began in 1995. He started as a wide receivers coach at Virginia Military Institute. In 1996, he worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Memphis. There, he helped with defensive backs and special teams. After a short time at the University of Tennessee at Martin, Tomlin joined Arkansas State University in 1997. He coached their defensive backs for two seasons. Then, he became the defensive backs coach at the University of Cincinnati.
Coaching in the NFL
Becoming a Positions Coach
In 2001, Tomlin became the defensive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He worked under head coach Tony Dungy. This is where Tomlin learned the "Tampa 2" defense, which he would use later.
Tomlin stayed with the Buccaneers when Jon Gruden became the new head coach. In 2002 and 2005, the Buccaneers had the best defense in the NFL. Their defense was always ranked among the top six teams. When the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003, they made a Super Bowl record. They had five interceptions, and three of them were returned for touchdowns.
Working as a Defensive Coordinator
In 2006, the Minnesota Vikings hired Tomlin as their defensive coordinator. He was chosen by head coach Brad Childress.
Some players on the Vikings team were older than Tomlin. He had even played with Vikings' safety Darren Sharper in college. In 2006, the Vikings had the eighth-best overall defense in the NFL. They were the best at stopping the run but the worst at defending against passes.
Becoming a Head Coach
Joining the Pittsburgh Steelers
After being the Vikings' defensive coordinator for one year, Tomlin was interviewed by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers were looking for a new head coach. On January 27, 2007, Tomlin was hired as the 16th head coach for the team. He took over from Bill Cowher, who had coached the team for 15 years. Tomlin had also interviewed for the head coach job with the Miami Dolphins.
The Steelers often hire head coaches who are in their 30s. Tomlin continued this tradition. He was the 10th African-American head coach in NFL history and the first for the Steelers. The Steelers owner, Dan Rooney, helped create the Rooney Rule. This rule requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching jobs.
Tomlin's contract details were not fully shared. Reports said it was a four-year deal worth $2.5 million per year. He was the third Steelers coach in a row to win his first game. He was also the first to win his first game against the rival Cleveland Browns.
Tomlin kept many of Cowher's assistant coaches, like defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. This helped keep the team's chemistry strong, as they had just won a Super Bowl. In 2007, the Steelers had the top-ranked defense in the NFL. Tomlin led the Steelers to win the 2007 AFC North Division. They finished with a 10–6 record in his first year. However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tomlin set a Steelers record by winning 22 games in his first two seasons. He was also the first Steelers coach to win division titles in his first two years.
When the Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens in the 2008 AFC Championship Game, Tomlin became the youngest NFL head coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl. He was also the third African-American coach to reach the Super Bowl. On January 29, 2009, Tomlin was named the 2008 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year. Three days later, at age 36, he became the youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl. The Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27–23 in Super Bowl XLIII. Tomlin's record was later broken by Sean McVay.
Super Bowl XLV Loss and the "Killer B's" Era
On July 13, 2010, Tomlin signed a new contract with the Steelers. That season, he led the Steelers to a 12–4 record. They reached the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. In Super Bowl XLV, the Steelers lost to the Green Bay Packers 31–25.
On November 13, 2011, Tomlin won his 50th game as the Steelers' head coach. This was a 24–17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers finished the 2011 season with another 12–4 record. Their season ended in the Wild Card Round. They lost 29–23 in overtime to the Denver Broncos.
In 2012, the Steelers finished with an 8–8 record. They had problems with injuries to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the offensive line. This was the second time the Steelers did not make the playoffs under Tomlin.
In 2013, Tomlin was fined $100,000 by the NFL. This was because he interfered with a kick return during a game. He was standing too close to the field. Tomlin led the Steelers to another 8–8 record in 2013, missing the playoffs again.
Tomlin led the Steelers to a better season in 2014, with an 11–5 record. They won the AFC North. However, their season ended in the Wild Card Round. They lost to the Baltimore Ravens 30–17. The 2014 season saw the start of the "Killer B's era". This was when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown, and running back Le'veon Bell were all playing at their best.
In 2015, the Steelers had a 10–6 record and made the playoffs. They beat the Cincinnati Bengals 18–16 in the Wild Card Round. Then, they lost to the Denver Broncos 23–16 in the Divisional Round.
The 2016 season was much better for the Steelers. Tomlin led the team to an 11–5 record. They won seven games in a row to finish the season. The Steelers won the AFC North. They defeated the Miami Dolphins 30–12 in the Wild Card Round. They also beat the Kansas City Chiefs 18–16 in the Divisional Round. In the AFC Championship Game, they lost to the New England Patriots 36–17.
End of the Roethlisberger Era
The next season, Tomlin and the Steelers went 13–3 and won the AFC North. But they lost their first playoff game. They fell 45–42 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Divisional Round.
In 2019, the Steelers lost their main quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, due to injury. Even with a tough start, the Steelers finished the season with an 8–8 record. This was impressive given their injuries and starting 0–3.
In November 2019, there was an incident where Cleveland Browns player Myles Garrett hit Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph with a helmet. Tomlin later defended Rudolph against accusations made by Garrett.
In November 2020, Tomlin was fined $100,000 by the NFL. This was for not wearing a face mask properly during a game. The Steelers finished the 2020 season with a 12–4 record. However, they lost in the Wild Card Round to the Cleveland Browns.
On April 20, 2021, Tomlin signed a new contract to stay with the Steelers until 2024. Tomlin led the Steelers to a 9–7–1 record in 2021. They made the playoffs but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 42–21 in the Wild Card Round.
Recent Seasons and Playoff Challenges
The 2022 season was Tomlin's 16th with the team. He passed Bill Cowher for the second-longest time as Steelers head coach. Tomlin coached the Steelers to a 9–8 record in 2022, but they missed the playoffs.
The 2023 season was Tomlin's 17th. The team finished 10–7 and lost to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round. On June 10, 2024, Tomlin signed another contract extension. This keeps him as head coach until the 2027 season. He is now the second longest-serving Steelers head coach, behind only Chuck Noll.
On December 1, 2024, Tomlin achieved his 18th straight non-losing season. This happened with a 44–38 win over the Bengals. The Steelers ended their 2024 season with a 10–7 record. They lost to the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the playoffs.
After the 2024 season, Tomlin faced criticism for not winning playoff games recently. Since 2016, the Steelers have not won a playoff game. Steelers owner Art Rooney II said there were no plans to fire Tomlin.
Tomlinisms: His Famous Sayings
Mike Tomlin is known for his motivational quotes, called "Tomlinisms." These are short, clever phrases that share his ideas about the team. They have become a part of the Steelers' culture. Players and fans use them to understand Tomlin's coaching style.
One famous phrase is "The standard is the standard." This means that the team's high expectations never change, no matter what. This quote became very popular in 2010 when the Steelers reached Super Bowl XLV. It was even carved into the locker room walls at Heinz Field in 2013.
Some Tomlinisms are meant to inspire, like "Don’t blink, if you’re a blinker, cut your eyelids off." Others are more unique, like "It's a fine line between drinking wine and squashing grapes."
Tomlin's Coaching Style
Tomlin is known for building strong relationships with his players. He is often called a "player's coach." This means he connects with athletes personally and understands them. Running back Najee Harris said Tomlin talks openly with the team. Tomlin also gives players freedom while still keeping discipline. He has even invited players to spend holidays with his family.
In a TV show called Hard Knocks, Tomlin was seen talking to player Joey Porter Jr.. Porter had too many penalties in a game. Tomlin told him, "You're gonna be great, but you ain't gonna be great today." This showed that he helps players learn from their mistakes.
Sometimes, Tomlin's style has been criticized. Some people, like former Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw, called him "more of a cheerleader guy." In 2018, there were problems with players Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. Bell held out for the whole season because of a contract dispute. Brown had issues with the quarterback and missed practices. Critics said these problems showed a lack of strictness in Tomlin's player-friendly approach.
Head Coaching Record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| PIT | 2007 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1st in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Jacksonville Jaguars in AFC Wild Card Game |
| PIT | 2008 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in AFC North | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | Super Bowl XLIII champions |
| PIT | 2009 | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3rd in AFC North | — | — | — | — |
| PIT | 2010 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in AFC North | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost to Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV |
| PIT | 2011 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 2nd in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Denver Broncos in AFC Wild Card Game |
| PIT | 2012 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3rd in AFC North | — | — | — | — |
| PIT | 2013 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2nd in AFC North | — | — | — | — |
| PIT | 2014 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 1st in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Baltimore Ravens in AFC Wild Card Game |
| PIT | 2015 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2nd in AFC North | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Denver Broncos in AFC Divisional Game |
| PIT | 2016 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 1st in AFC North | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost to New England Patriots in AFC Championship Game |
| PIT | 2017 | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 1st in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Jacksonville Jaguars in AFC Divisional Game |
| PIT | 2018 | 9 | 6 | 1 | .594 | 2nd in AFC North | — | — | — | — |
| PIT | 2019 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2nd in AFC North | — | — | — | — |
| PIT | 2020 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Cleveland Browns in AFC Wild Card Game |
| PIT | 2021 | 9 | 7 | 1 | .559 | 2nd in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Kansas City Chiefs in AFC Wild Card Game |
| PIT | 2022 | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3rd in AFC North | — | — | — | — |
| PIT | 2023 | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 3rd in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Buffalo Bills in AFC Wild Card Game |
| PIT | 2024 | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 2nd in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Baltimore Ravens in AFC Wild Card Game |
| Total | 183 | 107 | 2 | .630 | 8 | 11 | .421 | |||
Personal Life
Tomlin met his wife, Kiya, when they were both students at The College of William & Mary. They have three children and live in Squirrel Hill. Tomlin is a Christian.
See also
- List of National Football League head coaches with 50 wins
- List of Super Bowl head coaches
