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Adam Schefter, Senior NFL Insider
The Bears recently called the Steelers to see if they would be allowed to talk to and potentially try to trade for longtime head coach Mike Tomlin, only to have Pittsburgh rebuff their inquiry, league sources told ESPN.
Discussions never made it to Tomlin, nor would they have been successful even if they did. When asked earlier this week about the idea that a team could inquire about his availability — when in fact at least one team already had — Tomlin responded: “Save your time.”
At least one other team besides the Bears checked into the idea that it could somehow could try to trade for Tomlin, only to be informed that the Steelers coach has a no-trade clause in his contract, according to a league source. The inquiring team quickly halted its efforts and moved on, according to sources.
Though other teams have been interested in Tomlin, the Steelers have no interest in moving on from him, despite Pittsburgh’s fifth consecutive one-and-done trip to the playoffs.
Tomlin signed a three-year contract extension last offseason that makes him one of the league’s highest-paid head coaches and, after 18 seasons in Pittsburgh, his time there shows no signs of letting up, despite any frustrations 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 Tuesday in his season-ending news 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.”
But in the eyes of some sources, Chicago deserves credit for at least making the call. The Bears recognized the type of leader and coach Tomlin is, and in an effort to exhaust all possibilities, even reached out to the Steelers to see if there were any way to pry loose a coach who could have been more beloved in Chicago than he is in Pittsburgh.
Even without Tomlin in the mix, the Bears have cast a wide net in their head coaching search.
The Bears already have completed head coaching interviews with 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 also have 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 had only three head coaches since 1969: Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Tomlin, who turns 53 in March. Tomlin has never had a losing season in Pittsburgh and is the second-winningest coach in franchise history, behind only Noll, with a career record of 183-107-2.
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