Ranking 32 NFL head coaches based on presidential potential

6. Mike Tomlin – Pittsburgh Steelers

One thing you can count on every single year (or so it seems) is the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL Playoffs. This is a team that hasn’t had a record worse than .500 in over a decade, a testament not only to how the front office has been able to maintain a rock-solid foundation, but to the job Tomlin has done as well.

Paramount to the Tomlin mystique is an unrivaled ability to 1) communicate with his players; and 2) put them in positions to succeed. That alone would be enough to put Pittsburgh’s veteran skipper squarely in the top tier. But what makes Tomlin a truly compelling presidential candidate is how he’s handled Pittsburgh’s significant changing of the guard.

When Tomlin first arrived with the Steelers, the team’s familiar faces and modern legends were still in place. It’s how Tomlin has transitioned into this new era that’s been so flawless. When you think about all the turnover a president has to deal with — in congress, in the economy, and throughout all levels of government — it becomes bracingly clear just how huge a personal superlative that is.

Next: No. 5 Todd Bowles