The NFL coaching carousel never sleeps, and one of the biggest names in the business is already being linked to a new sideline before he's even said yes to another gig. Mike Tomlin, fresh off a legendary 18-year run with the Pittsburgh Steelers, hasn't publicly committed to coaching again — but that hasn't stopped at least one AFC franchise from doing its due diligence.
According to NFL insider Jason La Canfora, the New York Jets are quietly laying the groundwork to pursue Tomlin for the 2027 campaign. The report suggests that owner Woody Johnson is asking around, doing his homework on the former Steelers boss, and the buzz is real.
“Woody is starting to ask a lot of questions; he’s doing his homework on Tomlin,” an executive told La Canfora. “This one has legs. I’m telling you. Mike is in New York at Rockefeller Center for NBC, Woody is back in charge at the facility, and he knows how steep the competition will be. You are going to hear a lot about the Jets.”
That's a spicy nugget, especially considering the Jets' current head coach, Aaron Glenn, is reportedly on thin ice. Another exec told La Canfora that Glenn is a “dead man walking” heading into the 2026 season, a tough spot after a lifeless 3-14 campaign in 2025.
Tomlin's resume speaks for itself: a 193-114-2 record, 13 playoff appearances, two Super Bowl trips, and one ring. He never posted a losing season in Pittsburgh, a streak that's almost unheard of in today's parity-driven NFL. So it's no shock that teams are already circling like sharks.
During his NBC broadcasting debut earlier this month, Tomlin was asked directly if he'd get the itch to coach again. His answer was classic Tomlin — cool, measured, and leaving the door wide open.
“I haven’t thought a whole lot about it yet, because I don’t feel like I’m missing anything yet,” Tomlin told Cris Collinsworth and Mike Tirico. “You know, when those regular-season balls start snapping, that’s when I’ll start, you know, getting a little twitch a little bit.”
If Tomlin does decide to return in 2027, he'd instantly become the top coach on the market. History shows that veteran coaches can thrive after a change of scenery — just look at Andy Reid in Kansas City or Sean Payton in Denver. Tomlin could be the next chapter in that book.
The Jets' interest is just the latest twist in a saga that's been brewing since Tomlin stepped away. For now, he's enjoying his time in the broadcast booth, but the NFL world knows it's only a matter of time before the coaching carousel starts spinning. And if the Jets are serious, they might just have a shot at landing one of the best to ever do it.
For more on Tomlin's potential return, check out three NFL teams that could be first in line if he coaches again, and his recent hint about a possible comeback.
