{"id":811802,"date":"2026-03-14T11:35:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T11:35:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/811802\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T11:35:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T11:35:24","slug":"mike-tomlin-makes-first-public-comments-since-resigning-as-steelers-head-coach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/811802\/","title":{"rendered":"Mike Tomlin Makes First Public Comments Since Resigning As Steelers Head Coach"},"content":{"rendered":"

Foregoing a farewell press conference, former Steelers HC Mike Tomlin hasn\u2019t spoken publicly since resigning\u2014that is until now. Last night at The Ireland Funds Pittsburgh Gala, he and his wife, Kiya, were awarded the Patricia R. Rooney Community Impact Award<\/a>. In his acceptance of the honor, he finally spoke publicly\u2014briefly\u2014about his experience in Pittsburgh and with the Steelers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s often said, \u2018We\u2019re not here for a long time, we\u2019re here for a good time\u2019. Like, you have to choose\u201d, Tomlin said, via Steelers Ireland<\/a>. \u201cI think our experience here in Pittsburgh and with the great Steelers organization exemplifies that. We were here for a long and really good time\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been an honor to serve the greatest organization in sports. It\u2019s been an honor to be a part of this great community, to call it home, for our kids to call it home\u201d, Tomlin continued. \u201cWe\u2019re in somewhat of a nomadic business, and so we don\u2019t take that for granted, that our kids get an opportunity to call Pittsburgh home. It\u2019s been an honor to serve the community in which we live, its values that we hold, and it will continue.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been extremely blessed, and we just like to share those blessings\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Steelers hired Mike Tomlin in 2007, and he served as their head coach for 19 seasons. After his prompt and unexpected resignation<\/a> in January, owner Art Rooney II confirmed he had every intention of continuing to work with him<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Since his resignation, Tomlin has largely been incognito. The only times he has surfaced, largely, revolve around supporting his children with their endeavors. At those times, he was a dad and an audience member, nothing more.<\/p>\n

Last night, he was an icon of Pittsburgh, the first time he has acknowledged that since resigning. At the end of his Steelers tenure, Mike Tomlin was facing significant public pressure. For years, many fans wanted the team to make a change, citing its inability to win in the playoffs. He ended his career on a nine-year playoff drought, among the longest winless runs of all time. After all, most coaches are fired long before they can make it that far.<\/p>\n

As Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin went 193-114-2. He is among the 10 winningest coaches in NFL history, ending up tied with Chuck Noll. A Super Bowl champion, he arrived at his peak early in his Steelers tenure. He took them to the Super Bowl in 2008, his second season, and won. A return trip in 2010 did not result in another Lombardi Trophy, and he never made the Super Bowl again.<\/p>\n

Beyond his service to the Steelers, Tomlin long prided himself on service to community. His charitable works, particularly his time devoted to causes closest to him, such as the development of underprivileged and fatherless youths, is well-documented. It is for that service for which the city of Pittsburgh and the Rooney family honored him last night. And that\u2019s just as important a legacy, even if only a fraction of people will remember it in comparison to his professional life.<\/p>\n