T.J. Watt, Steelers stars make stance on Mike Tomlin’s future crystal clear

Despite finishing the 2023 NFL campaign with a 17th consecutive winning season and a trip to the playoffs, questions about Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin have begun to arise.

However, Steelers star linebacker T.J. Watt along with other notable players have made their stance on Tomlin’s outlook with the franchise clear as day.

Pretty definitive words from the star edge rusher.

T.J. Watt isn’t the only Pittsburgh Steeler who wants Mike Tomlin back

Watt, 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones, and wide receiver George Pickens have all expressed their desire to continue playing for Tomlin. The 2023 All-Pro and 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year went as far as saying he doesn’t want to play “for anyone other than Mike T [Tomlin].”

Jones and Pickens both took to social media to repost a photo with Watt’s quote about his desire to have Tomlin back in Pittsburgh. “I’m with you tj,” Jones captioned along with the post on Instagram. Pickens made the same post on his Instagram story paired with an emoji to convey his loyalty to Tomlin.

T.J. Watt and company can breathe a sigh of relief

According to ESPN, Tomlin has informed Steelers players and coaches alike that he intends to return and coach the team in 2024. The 2008 Super Bowl-winning head coach will be back to finish out the final year of his contract with Pittsburgh but seems like he is in no rush to work out a long-term contract extension. A source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that Tomlin “just wants to coach football.”

Turning 52 in March, Tomlin has solidified himself as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history and should have no shortage of suitors were he ever to explore options beyond the Steelers once his contract expires. Tomlin currently ranks third in wins (172) and sixth in winning percentage (.631) among active NFL head coaches.