Two months after shockingly resigning from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Tomlin finally made his first major public appearance since leaving the team on Thursday.
He and his wife, Kiya, received the Patricia R. Rooney Award for Community Impact. After receiving the award, Tomlin gave a speech where he thanked the Steelers and expressed his appreciation for the organization.
“They often say you’re here for a good time, not a long time, like you have to choose,” Tomlin told the audience. “I think our experience here in Pittsburgh and the great Steelers organization exemplifies that. We were here for a long and really good time.”
Mike Tomlin’s first public speech since stepping away from the Steelers as he and his wife Kiya are accepting the Patricia R. Rooney Award for Community Impact.
“They often say you’re here for a good time not a long time… in Pittsburgh we were here for a long and good time. pic.twitter.com/5V3U5iqeTg
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) March 13, 2026
Tomlin was Pittsburgh’s head coach for 19 seasons, winning a Super Bowl and never finishing with a losing record. He was one of the most successful head coaches in NFL history with 201 career wins in the regular season and playoffs combined.
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Tomlin also took a moment to thank the community and explain what it means to his family.
“It’s been an honor to serve the greatest organization in sports. It’s an honor to be a part of this great community to call home, for our kids to call home,” Tomlin continued. “It’s been an honor to serve the community in which we live, its values that we hold. It will continue…We’ve been extremely blessed.”
Tomlin does not have a coaching job at the moment and is expected to take the year off, although he may pursue a media role.
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