Mike Tomlin vehemently denies ever leaving the Steelers for a college coaching job

Think Mike Tomlin would leave the Steelers for a college job? Think again.

The rumor mill doesn’t stop or slow down for anyone when it comes to the game of football. All it takes is one personality, or former player, to float a rumor on social media or television and it can catch like wild fire.

That has been the case the past 48 hours after Carson Palmer and others have said publicly Mike Tomlin would be a ‘front-runner’ for the vacant USC job in the PAC-12. During Tomlin’s Tuesday press conference Tim Benz of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review decided to ask Tomlin about the rumors, and Tomlin didn’t hold back.

“Hey guys, I don’t have time for speculation. That’s a joke to me. I have one of the best jobs in all professional sports. Why would I have an interest in coaching college football? And that will be the last time I address it.”

But Tomlin wasn’t done. Even after Burt Lauten, director of Steelers Public Relations, ended the press conference, Tomlin continued.

“Never say never, but NEVER. There isn’t a booster with a big enough blank check. Is anyone asking Sean Payton about that? Anybody asking Andy Reid about that?”

With that said, Tomlin left the press conference leaving everything in his wake as media and fans watching were in awe of the coach’s response.

There have been occasions where coaches have firmly denied reports or rumors of their leaving a particular job. Nick Saban’s brief tenure with the Miami Dolphins before leaving for the University of Alabama comes to mind, but for Tomlin to break his contract and leave seemed like a long shot anyways. Now? It seems nearly impossible.

It seems that puts a bow on the rumors of Tomlin to a college football program, that is until another prominent figure floats his name on a prominent radio show/podcast as a potential candidate.

Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the Cleveland Browns in Week 8 of the 2021 regular season.

Check out the entire BTSC Mike Tomlin Press Conference Recap podcast below.