Mike Tomlin had been a coach since 2001. For more than 20 years, his wife, Kiya Tomlin, had to watch him make game-changing decisions for his teams on the sidelines, her emotions matching those of fans on game days. However, now that Tomlin has swapped the gridiron for the TV studio, Kiya is relieved.

“For the last 30 years, game days haven’t exactly been relaxing,” Kiya wrote in an Instagram post. “There was a team to root for, a game that mattered very personally, and, let’s be clear, a considerable amount of stress attached to the outcome. This season is different.

“Mike will be watching football from a new seat at NBC, and I’ll be watching from a new seat, too: fan. I no longer have to root for any specific team (but Go Steelers!) and I don’t have to pretend I’m calm when I’m absolutely not. I can just relax and enjoy good football, good food, friends and something comfortable to wear. I’m actually excited to see that that feels like. Here’s to a very different kind of football season.” 

Tomlin has made his debut as an NBC analyst on Football Night in America, after nearly two decades of being an NFL head coach. It’s a completely new arena for him: he is not a guest on The Tonight Show. This time, he has to present the game to the scores of fans watching from home, and keep it entertaining.

“I just have an unbelievable level of excitement,” the former Steelers head coach told Channel 11 sports director Jenna Harner. “Not only about the challenge of sharing my love for the game with fellow football lovers but also… being the new guy. I’ve been really blessed in my football life; I was able to spend 19 years with an absolute blue blood organization, and NBC Football Night in America/Sunday Night Football is and has been the gold standard as far as I’m concerned.” 

After announcing his decision to step down as the Steelers’ head coach, Tomlin was fielded as a possible option for the open head coaching positions at the time. Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti’s eyes practically glimmered when he learned that Tomlin had officially resigned. When asked if he was an option for the Ravens, which had fired John Harbaugh, Bisciotti said, “Holy s—, … Wouldn’t that be awesome?”

With an overall record of 193-114, he remains a very valuable coach for interested teams in the league. The coach in him will never die; that’s why he hasn’t really burned the bridges back to his old role. 

“It’s certainly not a 32-team league for me, but I’ve also learned to never say never. I love to coach, I love all the challenges of the profession, I love to be a part of growth and development of young people individually. I love the measurement of the seven-day cycle. But I also have enjoyed, man, the last six months of life on this other side that I had no idea about.” 

Fans seemed to have mixed opinions on Tomlin’s new role. Some claimed that Tomlin was a pretty good addition for NBC. Meanwhile, a few others on social media believed the TV gig was lame for the former coach. After all, Tomlin and co-host Maria Taylor fumbled with Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s name.

But it’s just the beginning. With time, we can definitely hope for some improvements in his broadcasting skills. 

However, there has been some buzz about Tomlin returning to the gridiron once again. NFL insider Jason La Canfora reported that New York Jets owner Woody Johnson was learning about Tomlin as a potential coaching candidate for the 2027 season. The pairing does seem odd, considering the coach is easily one of the best, while the Jets are one of the worst in the league. But if Tomlin could help spark some momentum into this team, that turnaround will surely find its place in the history books.