FOR THE LAST TWO DECADES. WHAT ARE THEY SAYING TONIGHT? WELL, KRISTEN, THEY SAY THAT THEY’RE SAD, BUT THEY UNDERSTAND TO THEM. THEY SAY TOMLIN’S ACHIEVEMENTS ON THE FIELD WERE JUST A SMALL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. THE WORD WE KEPT HEARING OVER AND OVER AGAIN WAS LEADERSHIP. THAT’S ON AND OFF THE FIELD. WHEN YOU PUT HIS ENTIRE CAREER TOGETHER. PROFESSIONALLY. COMMUNITY. HE’S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AND SET A FANTASTIC EXAMPLE. WHEN THE ROONEYS HIRED MIKE TOMLIN IN 2007, HE BECAME THE FIRST BLACK HEAD COACH IN STEELERS HISTORY. HE IS A QUALIFIED. INDIVIDUAL, BUT HE HAPPENS TO BE A BLACK MAN. IN 2003, THE LEAGUE ADOPTED THE ROONEY RULE, NAMED FOR THEN STEELERS CHAIRMAN DAN ROONEY. ORIGINALLY REQUIRING TEAMS TO INTERVIEW AT LEAST ONE DIVERSE CANDIDATE FOR HEAD COACHING VACANCIES. THE RULE HAS SINCE EXPANDED, REQUIRING AT LEAST TWO EXTERNAL CANDIDATES FOR ANY GENERAL MANAGER OR HEAD COACHING SPOT. URBAN LEAGUE PRESIDENT ESTHER BUSH SAYS THE ROONEYS AND TOMLIN TOGETHER HAVE POSITIVELY CHANGED THE RACIAL LANDSCAPE HERE IN PITTSBURGH. THE URBAN LEAGUE EVEN HAS PRESENTED THEM WITH AN AWARD FOR IT. IT IS FOR THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH TO HAVE A DIFFERENT COMFORT LEVEL ABOUT PUTTING AFRICAN AMERICANS WHERE THEY BELONG. TOMLIN IMMEDIATELY GOT TO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY. HE STARTED EARLY, WHERE HE LIVED AND WORKED THE NORTH SIDE, BECOMING A ROLE MODEL FOR THOUSANDS THROUGH HIS WORK WITH URBAN IMPACT. MIKE IS MORE THAN A COACH. HE’S HE’S A FATHER. HE’S A HUSBAND. HE’S A MAN THAT IS ON A MISSION. HE’S ABOUT MAKING A DIFFERENCE. IT’S ABOUT HELPING MEN LOVE GOD AND THEIR FAMILY AND IMPACT THE FATHERLESS. WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE THE CALIBER OF MIKE TOMLIN COMING IN AND SHAKING HANDS WITH LITTLE KIDS AND BIG KIDS AND PARENTS AND SHOWING THAT HE HAS TIME TO DO THAT AND LOOKS HIM IN THE FACE, KNOWS THEIR NAME, ENCOURAGES THEM. THAT IS HUGELY IMPACTFUL. THOSE COMMUNITY PARTNERS SAY EVEN THOUGH TOMLIN IS MOVING BEYOND THE STEELERS, HE WILL NEVER MOVE BEYOND PITTSBURGH. THEY SAY HIS IMPACT WILL BE FELT HERE FOR YEARS TO COME. COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY ON

Nine NFL teams have job openings for head coaches after Mike Tomlin stepped down from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday.Three of those teams — Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cleveland — are in the AFC North.Here are the teams that Pittsburgh will be in competition with as the Steelers search for a new head coach:Atlanta FalconsPrevious head coach: Raheem MorrisReported potential candidates: Aden Durde, Vance Joseph, Klint Kubiak, Jesse Minter, John Harbaugh, Mike McDaniel, Antonio Pierce, Kevin Stefanski, Anthony WeaverArizona CardinalsPrevious head coach: Jonathan GannonReported potential candidates: Thomas Brown, Jeff Hafley, John Harbaugh, Vance Joseph, Klint Kubiak, Mike LaFleur, Jesse Minter, Raheem Morris, Matt Nagy, Robert Saleh, Chris Shula, Arthur Smith, Anthony WeaverBaltimore RavensPrevious head coach: John HarbaughReported potential candidates: Joe Brady, Brian Flores, Vance Joseph, Kliff Kingsbury, Klint Kubiak, Jesse Minter, Matt Nagy, Robert Saleh, Jim Schwartz, Chris Shula, Kevin Stefanski, Anthony Weaver, Davis WebbCleveland BrownsPrevious head coach: Kevin StefanskiReported potential candidates: Aden Durde, Mike McDaniel, Todd Monken, Dan Pitcher, Tommy Rees, Nate Scheelhaase, Jim Schwartz, Chris ShulaLas Vegas RaidersPrevious head coach: Pete CarrollReported potential candidates: Ejiro Evero, Brian Flores, Jeff Hafley, Vance Joseph, Klint Kubiak, Mike LaFleur, Jesse Minter, Matt Nagy, Nate Scheelhaase, Chris Shula, Kevin Stefanski, Davis WebbMiami DolphinsPrevious head coach: Mike McDanielReported potential candidates: Klint Kubiak, Robert Saleh, Kevin Stefanski New York GiantsPrevious head coach: Brian DabollReported potential candidates: Lou Anarumo, John Harbaugh, Vance Joseph, Klint Kubiak, Mike McCarthy, Raheem Morris, Antonio Pierce, Darren Rizzi, Kevin StefanskiTennessee TitansPrevious head coach: Brian CallahanReported potential candidates: Lou Anarumo, Brian Daboll, Jonathan Gannon, Jason Garrett, Jeff Hafley, Vance Joseph, Kliff Kingsbury, Mike McCarthy, Mike McCoy, Mike McDaniel, Jesse Minter, Raheem Morris, Matt Nagy, Robert Saleh, Chris Shula, Arthur Smith, Steve Spagnuolo, Kevin Stefanski

PITTSBURGH —

Nine NFL teams have job openings for head coaches after Mike Tomlin stepped down from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday.

Three of those teams — Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cleveland — are in the AFC North.

Here are the teams that Pittsburgh will be in competition with as the Steelers search for a new head coach:

Atlanta Falcons

Previous head coach: Raheem Morris

Reported potential candidates: Aden Durde, Vance Joseph, Klint Kubiak, Jesse Minter, John Harbaugh, Mike McDaniel, Antonio Pierce, Kevin Stefanski, Anthony Weaver

Arizona Cardinals

Previous head coach: Jonathan Gannon

Reported potential candidates: Thomas Brown, Jeff Hafley, John Harbaugh, Vance Joseph, Klint Kubiak, Mike LaFleur, Jesse Minter, Raheem Morris, Matt Nagy, Robert Saleh, Chris Shula, Arthur Smith, Anthony Weaver

Baltimore Ravens

Previous head coach: John Harbaugh

Reported potential candidates: Joe Brady, Brian Flores, Vance Joseph, Kliff Kingsbury, Klint Kubiak, Jesse Minter, Matt Nagy, Robert Saleh, Jim Schwartz, Chris Shula, Kevin Stefanski, Anthony Weaver, Davis Webb

Cleveland Browns

Previous head coach: Kevin Stefanski

Reported potential candidates: Aden Durde, Mike McDaniel, Todd Monken, Dan Pitcher, Tommy Rees, Nate Scheelhaase, Jim Schwartz, Chris Shula

Las Vegas Raiders

Previous head coach: Pete Carroll

Reported potential candidates: Ejiro Evero, Brian Flores, Jeff Hafley, Vance Joseph, Klint Kubiak, Mike LaFleur, Jesse Minter, Matt Nagy, Nate Scheelhaase, Chris Shula, Kevin Stefanski, Davis Webb

Miami Dolphins

Previous head coach: Mike McDaniel

Reported potential candidates: Klint Kubiak, Robert Saleh, Kevin Stefanski

New York Giants

Previous head coach: Brian Daboll

Reported potential candidates: Lou Anarumo, John Harbaugh, Vance Joseph, Klint Kubiak, Mike McCarthy, Raheem Morris, Antonio Pierce, Darren Rizzi, Kevin Stefanski

Tennessee Titans

Previous head coach: Brian Callahan

Reported potential candidates: Lou Anarumo, Brian Daboll, Jonathan Gannon, Jason Garrett, Jeff Hafley, Vance Joseph, Kliff Kingsbury, Mike McCarthy, Mike McCoy, Mike McDaniel, Jesse Minter, Raheem Morris, Matt Nagy, Robert Saleh, Chris Shula, Arthur Smith, Steve Spagnuolo, Kevin Stefanski