\u201cAfter much thought and reflection, I have decided to step down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers,\u201d Tomlin said in a statement Tuesday. \u201cThis organization has been a huge part of my life for many years, and it has been an absolute honor to lead this team. I am deeply grateful to Art Rooney II and the late Ambassador [Dan] Rooney for their trust and support.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tomlin\u2019s 19 seasons at the helm of the Steelers helped prove what shouldn\u2019t have needed proving: Black coaches are fully capable of leading their teams to winning seasons and Super Bowl titles. He helped validate the wisdom of the Rooney Rule, named for former Steelers owner Dan Rooney \u2014 the father of current owner Art Rooney II \u2014 which requires NFL teams to interview non-white candidates when they have vacant head-coaching or executive positions.<\/p>\n
But even as Tomlin was consistently racking up wins for the Steelers, NFL teams, according to a bombshell lawsuit filed in 2022, were conspiring against Black coaching candidates and making a mockery of the Rooney Rule. In a league where the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport\u00a0says about 53% of the players are Black<\/a>, after Tomlin\u2019s resignation and the firings of the Atlanta Falcons\u2019 Raheem Morris and the Miami Dolphins\u2019 Mike McDaniels, there are only three Black head coaches.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Brian Flores, currently a defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, initiated that class action lawsuit against the NFL almost four years ago, and his case has heated up over the past few months. In August, a federal appeals court ruled his case could proceed to a jury trial, invalidating the NFL\u2019s argument that Flores had to submit to arbitration, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as the arbitrator. And just last week, the NFL and three teams Flores interviewed with \u2014 \u00a0the\u00a0Denver Broncos,\u00a0Houston\u00a0Texans\u00a0and\u00a0New York Giants\u00a0 \u2014 asked the U.S. Supreme Court<\/a> to not let Flores\u2019 case go to a jury but to keep it in arbitration.<\/p>\n Tomlin, for what it\u2019s worth, did Flores a solid after he filed his lawsuit.<\/p>\n Tomlin, for what it\u2019s worth, did Flores a solid after he filed his lawsuit. Flores couldn\u2019t find an NFL job and, as Tomlin tells the story<\/a>, Flores reached out to him for advice. Tomlin instead hired him as a Steelers defensive special assistant, with Rooney\u2019s blessing.<\/p>\n Flores moved on to his current role with the Vikings after a year but has reportedly never given up on getting a second chance at being an NFL head coach. But the lawsuit remains a barrier, with many NFL teams unwilling to consider putting someone with an active lawsuit against the league and several of its teams in their top slot.<\/p>\n Assuming Flores is interested in the open Steelers position, one of the pressing questions now is if the Rooney family, which has a history of supporting Black advancement in the sport, would hire him. The NFL might secretly want that to happen.\u00a0If Flores\u2019 case does end up before a jury, then Flores \u2014 whose lawsuit revealed text messages that he counts as evidence of teams colluding against him \u2014 will have an opportunity to air the league\u2019s dirty laundry in public.<\/p>\n Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores on Jan. 4, 2026, in Minneapolis, MN. Bailey Hillesheim \/ Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n Flores succeeding Tomlin as head coach of the team synonymous with the league\u2019s most important diversity initiative is a narrative the league might love to lean into.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n But even if Flores was hired by the Steelers, it would still be true that Black coaches have a harder time getting hired in the NFL and are not given as much time to win<\/a> as their white counterparts are.<\/p>\n Despite some fans calling for his job during his playoff losing streak, Tomlin was remarkable for coaching almost two decades without having a losing season. But a Black coach shouldn\u2019t have to be that good to get or keep an NFL coaching job. Tomlin\u2019s obvious legacy is winning, but let\u2019s hope his legacy comes to include Black coaches who don\u2019t win as much keeping a job on the sidelines.<\/p>\n The post What Mike Tomlin leaving the Steelers might mean for the NFL<\/a> appeared first on MS NOW<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Minnesota](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2c249624e4d68eaa359b53d08aa9a712.jpeg\"\/)
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