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). He joined the Steelers in 2007. Since then, he has led the team to many big games. These include 12 playoff appearances, seven division titles, and two Super Bowl appearances. He even won a Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XLIII.
When he was 36, Tomlin became the youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl. Later, Sean McVay broke this record. Mike Tomlin holds a special NFL record: he has never had a losing season in his 18 years as a head coach. This means his team always wins at least as many games as they lose. After Bill Belichick left the New England Patriots in 2023, Tomlin became the longest-serving active head coach in the NFL. He is also the longest-serving active head coach in the "Big Four" sports leagues in the U.S. and Canada.
Contents
Early Life and College Years
Mike Tomlin was born in Hampton, Virginia. He has an older brother named Eddie. His father, Ed Tomlin, played football in college and professionally. Mike was mostly raised by his mother and stepfather, Julia and Leslie Copeland.
He finished high school in 1990 at Denbigh High School. In 1995, he graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in sociology. While in college, Tomlin played as a wide receiver and was a top player in his conference.
Coaching Journey
Starting in College Football
Tomlin began his coaching career in 1995. He coached wide receivers at Virginia Military Institute. In 1996, he worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Memphis. He helped coach defensive backs and special teams. After a short time at the University of Tennessee at Martin, he coached defensive backs at Arkansas State University for two seasons. Then, he moved to the University of Cincinnati to coach defensive backs there.
Coaching in the NFL
Working as a Position Coach
In 2001, Tomlin joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their defensive backs coach. He worked under head coach Tony Dungy. Here, Tomlin learned the "Tampa 2" defense, which he would use later in his career.
He 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 high during his time there. When the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003, their defense made a Super Bowl record five interceptions. Three of these were returned for touchdowns.
Becoming a Defensive Coordinator
In 2006, the Minnesota Vikings hired Tomlin as their defensive coordinator. This meant he was in charge of the team's defense.
Some players on the Vikings were older than Tomlin. The 2006 Vikings had the eighth-best overall defense in the NFL. They were great at stopping the run but struggled against the pass.
Leading as Head Coach
Becoming a Super Bowl Champion (2007–2008)
After being the Vikings' defensive coordinator for one year, Tomlin was interviewed by the Pittsburgh Steelers. On January 27, 2007, he was hired as the 16th head coach for the Steelers. He replaced Bill Cowher, who had coached the team for 15 years. Tomlin was also considered for the head coach job with the Miami Dolphins.
Tomlin was the 10th African-American head coach in NFL history. He was 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 when hiring a new head coach.
Tomlin kept many of the Steelers' previous assistant coaches. This helped keep the team's chemistry strong. In 2007, the Steelers had the best 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. 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. On January 29, 2009, he 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.
Super Bowl XLV Loss and the "Killer B's" (2009–2016)
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. The Steelers finished the 2011 season with a 12–4 record. However, their season ended in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
In the 2012 season, the Steelers finished with an 8–8 record. They missed the playoffs for only the second time under Tomlin.
In 2013, Tomlin was involved in a controversial play during a game against the Baltimore Ravens. He was standing too close to the field and appeared to interfere with a kick returner. The NFL fined Tomlin US$100,000 for this incident. The Steelers finished the 2013 season with another 8–8 record and missed the playoffs.
Tomlin led the Steelers to a better season in 2014, finishing 11–5 and winning their division. However, they lost in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. This season saw the rise of the "Killer B's era" with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown, and running back Le'Veon Bell playing at their best.
In 2015, the Steelers went 10–6 and made the playoffs. They won their Wild Card game but lost in the Divisional Round.
The 2016 season was very good for the Steelers. Tomlin led them to an 11–5 record, winning seven games in a row to finish the season. They won their division and advanced to the AFC Championship Game. However, they lost to the New England Patriots 36–17.
End of the Roethlisberger Era (2017–2021)
In 2017, Tomlin and the Steelers went 13–3 and won their division. Despite a great regular season, they lost their first playoff game to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In 2019, the Steelers lost their starting quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, early in the season due to injury. Despite a tough start, the team fought hard. They finished the season with an 8–8 record, missing the playoffs. This was achieved with different quarterbacks playing.
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 US$100,000 by the NFL for not wearing his face mask properly during a game. The Steelers finished the 2020 season with a 12–4 record. They lost in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
On April 20, 2021, Tomlin signed a new contract to stay with the Steelers until 2024. He led the Steelers to a 9–7–1 record in the 2021 season. They made the playoffs but lost in the Wild Card Round.
The 2021 season was important because it was Ben Roethlisberger's last season with the Steelers. Since Tomlin became coach in 2007, the Steelers had a strong record when Roethlisberger was the starting quarterback.
Recent Playoff Challenges (2022–Present)
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.
In the 2023 season, Tomlin's 17th, the team finished 10–7. They lost to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round. On June 10, 2024, Tomlin signed another contract extension to remain the Steelers' head coach through the 2027 season. This makes him the second longest-serving Steelers head coach, only behind Chuck Noll.
On December 1, 2024, Tomlin achieved his 18th straight non-losing season. The Steelers finished their 2024 season 10–7. They lost to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round.
After the 2024 season, some people criticized Tomlin for not winning playoff games recently. However, Steelers owner Art Rooney II confirmed that there were no plans to fire Tomlin.
Following the retirement of Gregg Popovich on May 3, 2025, Tomlin officially became the longest-serving head coach in the four major American sports leagues.
Tomlinisms: Mike Tomlin's Famous Sayings
Mike Tomlin is known for his memorable motivational quotes, often called "Tomlinisms." These are short, clever phrases that share his ideas about the team. They have become a part of the Steelers' culture.
One famous "Tomlinism" is "The standard is the standard." This phrase means that the team's high expectations never change, no matter what. This quote was even engraved on the locker room walls at Heinz Field. Other quotes are meant to inspire, like "Don’t blink, if you’re a blinker, cut your eyelids off." He also said, "We don’t live in our fears," and "If our team doesn't face enough adversity early on in a season, I create it. Nothing builds a team like adversity."
Some "Tomlinisms" are more unusual. After a win in 2020, he said, "It's a fine line between drinking wine and squashing grapes." In 2024, when asked if a player got the game ball, Tomlin replied, "I can't give you all the ingredients to the hot dog, you might not like it."
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 on a personal level. Running back Najee Harris said that Tomlin talks openly with the team and gives players freedom. Tomlin has even invited players to spend holidays with his family.
In 2024, a TV show called Hard Knocks showed Tomlin 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 how he helps players learn from their mistakes.
Sometimes, his coaching style has faced criticism. In 2016, former Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw called him "more of a cheerleader guy." In 2018, the team had problems with players Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. Bell held out for the whole season due to a contract dispute. Brown had issues with the team and was eventually traded. Some people thought 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
Mike 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
In Spanish: Mike Tomlin para niños
- List of National Football League head coaches with 50 wins
- List of Super Bowl head coaches
