The Bears recently contacted the Steelers to inquire about the possibility of speaking with and potentially trading for longtime head coach Mike Tomlin. However, Pittsburgh rejected their request, according to league sources.
The discussions never reached Tomlin, and it’s unlikely they would have been successful even if they had. When asked about a team’s interest in his availability, Tomlin responded earlier this week: “Save your time.”
At least one other team, besides the Bears, also looked into trading for Tomlin but quickly learned that he has a no-trade clause in his contract. This information led the other team to stop their pursuit and move on.
Even though other teams have shown interest in Tomlin, the Steelers have no intention of parting ways with him, despite Pittsburgh’s fifth straight one-and-done playoff appearance.
Tomlin signed a three-year contract extension last offseason, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NFL. After 18 seasons in Pittsburgh, he shows no signs of leaving, even with some frustration from the fan base.
“I understand the nature of what it is that we do, the attention and criticism that comes with it,” Tomlin said during his season-ending press conference. “As a matter of fact, I embrace it, to be quite honest with you. I enjoy the urgency that comes with what I do and what we do.”
“I don’t make excuses for failure. I own it, but I also feel like I’m capable and so as long as I’m afforded an opportunity to do that, I will continue. But I certainly understand their frustrations, and probably more important than that, I share it because that’s how I’m wired.”
Despite the rejection, some sources believe the Bears deserve credit for reaching out. They recognized Tomlin’s leadership and coaching skills and, in their search for the best candidate, decided to inquire with the Steelers.
Even without Tomlin as an option, the Bears have cast a wide net in their head coaching search.
So far, the Bears have interviewed a long list of candidates, including interim head coach Thomas Brown, former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, former Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, former Stanford head coach David Shaw, former Titans and current Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.
The Bears have also requested interviews with Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, and Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich.
The Steelers have only had three head coaches since 1969: Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Tomlin, who will turn 53 in March. Tomlin has never had a losing season with the Steelers and is the second-winningest coach in franchise history, behind only Noll, with a career record of 183-107-2.
