The Pomp And Joe Show
Art Rooney II isn't shocked that Mike Tomlin stepped away from the Steelers
14 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: Why wasn't Art Rooney II shocked by Mike Tomlin's departure?
Art II speaking to media over at the stadium. Even as we speak, why don't we go over some of the quotes here in Limits. We don't have them by audio yet, but we will. But people tweeting them out left and right. Give us some of the key ones.
Yeah, so there's a couple of things that have been put out there by Jerry Dulac saying that Art Rooney II was willing to take another run at it in 2026 with Mike Tomlin. And that's what I was expecting to talk about yesterday, Art told me.
the media regarding the conversation and yet he said he wasn't shocked that this happened either right that he was not shocked that this is ultimately what happened Rooney said that he wasn't shocked by the decision but he was quote wasn't expecting the conversation either he mentioned here was nearer to the end than the beginning you could see that coming I wouldn't say I was shocked
Bob, that sounds a little odd to me. But on one hand, you were expecting to run it back, yet you're not surprised he left. Now, Dulac also continues.
Hold on. Go ahead. What I want to say about that is what I told you at the beginning. I think there's a reason behind it. Whether he's going to spend more time with his family, it was just a burnout, a collective burnout.
No, I hear that, but Art said he expected to run it back, but he's also saying he wasn't shocked.
Well, then he must have known that he was feeling the way he was feeling. Then why did he expect to run it back? Go ahead, Limits.
I'm sorry I cut you off, Bob. I didn't realize your mic was off. My mic, I always forget to put it on. He's turned into Ron today. Dulac says Rooney said Tomlin gave him no indication he wants to continue being a head coach, quote, in the near future that doesn't seem to be on his radar, end quote.
That's what I told you. I think he's going to take some time, and whenever that happens, that happens. We'll see if he does television, but my gut tells me he's not going to do that.
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Chapter 2: What did Mike Tomlin indicate about his coaching future?
Yeah, I mean, Schefter and everybody have been reporting that he won't coach this year, that he's not part of this coaching cycle. But you said, based on conversations you've had with him, just about the whole idea of being on TV, that he didn't seem like that was something he was after.
Right. He strikes me as the kind of guy who doesn't want to go through that whole thing. Even though it's easy money, to be honest, even though it keeps his face involved in the game, he's always going to be involved. If you take a year off, just look at Sean Payton's situation. Same thing. He did some TV.
I don't think Mike will, but I do think he will emerge in time as a head coach someplace else. That's in his DNA, and he wants to do that.
What else you got there, Limitless Wonder?
Rooney's saying, I think it will most likely affect Aaron Rodgers' decision. He came here to play for Mike. So more questions around what the Steelers do at quarterback next year. Wait, can you repeat that? Yes. As Jeff Athorne put out there on our 93.7 The Fan Twitter, I think it will most likely affect Aaron Rodgers' decision that Tom will step down. He came here to play for Mike.
Yeah, I think the Aaron Rodgers era was one and done, Bob. Would you agree? I think that's pretty obvious. Who are you texting? Is that Art? No.
He's talking. He doesn't multitask. He might be. No. What was your question? I'm sorry. I don't remember. I had to respond to that one. What did I just ask him two seconds ago? About Aaron Rodgers. Oh, Rodgers is clearly one and done. Yeah, I think so. And regardless of even if Tomlin would have come back, I think he would have been one and done. I still think that.
Even though there were indications as the season went on that maybe there could be another year involved here. I think they owe it to themselves just to try to look in a new direction and develop. Developing quarterback is going to be a big thing, and I think whoever is the next head coach is going to have to do that. They didn't do that so well here, and they need to do it.
They need to develop much better at that specific position.
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Chapter 3: What impact does Tomlin's departure have on Aaron Rodgers?
That could fall under the umbrella of family, yes. I think that does become an issue. When you hear it enough and it intensifies, it does affect your family. What else limits it?
Art did say that there is no one on the current coaching staff that is being considered a candidate to become the head coach. So Artie Smith or Terrell Austin, none of them are considered.
Again, it's not like it was when LeBeau and Arians were here. And they were key components of that at the time, and they wanted to keep them both, and they did.
I mean, Russ Grimm was going to be their coach until Tomlin blew them away in the interview. Was literally hired, basically, to be the coach. Basically, yes.
And then you go through this process, you just don't know who you're going to
Well, I'm glad to hear that Artie Smith won't be the next coach.
He also said it was going to be a matter of weeks. There are things in place that they can speed up, but also things in place that make them slow down this process. But the last three times they've done it, it's been rather quickly. So I don't know what ā they have a draft coming up too. They want to get this stuff done before that.
This person has a lot to do with what they do in the draft or will.
For sure. Anything else? Right now, we're going to listen to this whole thing coming up. Played it in its entirety for you. What else you got, O Limitless Wonder?
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Chapter 4: What are the implications of Tomlin's decision for the Steelers' quarterback situation?
Yeah, I like that. I love the accent, too.
Any other jabs you want to throw out there? No, I just want the clips. How about the full Art Rooney? Do you have that?
I have it. We'll do that next. Let's do it next. We'll start in on that next. Okay, Bob. Who does jump out to you? Marcus Freeman apparently having a 1 p.m. news conference today. He probably will say I'm here.
And he's going to get an announcement that he's made a lot more money. And I think he would be. Like I said before. He has that CEO type of mentality. That leadership that those guys. Plus he looks the role too if that matters at all. He's one of those guys you look to and you say that's a strong person. Walks into a room and owns the room. That's the guy I'm looking for.
They've had a history of Brian Flores. I was going to say Tomlin brought him in and they let him go. A lot of people at the time thought he should have stuck around and take over the D.C. role. But he's a guy who I think has established himself as a very smart defensive guy. Can he, you know, then bring in the right people offensively? That'll be on him. I think, again, Shuler's a good one.
I also like... You know, this Matt LaFleur flirtation is interesting to me because I don't know where he stands with them, you know, in Green Bay. If he became available, would you be interested in him? Absolutely, I would be interested in him. We had a lot of people call us last night and say, look at what he's done in the postseason. I said, every coach has these blemishes on them.
Even the most successful ones have losses.
He doesn't have seven straight losses where they got blown off the field. They're usually very competitive even when they lose.
But he did something this year that never has been done before, and then he had ā
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Chapter 5: What can the Steelers learn from other teams' coaching changes?
I think it's what they believe is the best person through the interview process. He was born in Pennsylvania, Bob.
How about that?
I bet you didn't know that. Neither did Limits. He seems like an all-around good guy, too. Everybody I've talked to that works with him or covers him in Cleveland has said a lot of good things about him.
I think he's an interesting, very interesting candidate who would be near the top of my list.
And would he bring Schwartz as his defensive coordinator?
Would he bring Miles Garrett in a trade for TJ Watt? And then TJ could get $42 million.
How would that look? How would that be responded?
Where does Stefanski play college football limits? Wrong. Penn.
That's a good school. Yeah.
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