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Entering this offseason, fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers wanted to know if Mike Tomlin would be getting a contract extension. There are plenty who feel Tomlin shouldn’t receive a new deal, and others who suggest there isn’t anyone else better on the open market.
With two years left on his current contract, when the Steelers typically negotiate a new contract with their coaches, Tomlin was given a one-year contract extension.
Steelers announce an extension for Mike Tomlin, who’s now under contract through ‘at least the 2021 season,’ per the team. Tomlin had two years left on his deal, so he essentially gets a one-year extension. Negotiations picked up in July.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 25, 2019
Getting a deal done before training camp certainly eliminates the distraction aspect of a head coach not getting a new deal, but it also makes Tomlin’s contractual tenure run parallel to Ben Roethlisberger’s.
When Roethlisberger signed a two-year contract extension this offseason, it kept him under contract in Pittsburgh for at least three more seasons. With Tomlin have two years left on his deal and getting an extra year, he and Roethlisberger could be tied together regarding their time in the Steel City.
There are those who believe the team will keep Tomlin as long as Roethlisberger is still the quarterback, but when those days end, so will Tomlin’s tenure with the team. This might make sense, but the truth is if Tomlin is able to right the ship and win another Super Bowl, those thoughts can change quickly.
In the meantime, the team crosses a very large item off their to-do list the day Training Camp begins for the team.
Stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black-and-gold as Training Camp 2019 gets underway!