Mike Tomlin stepped down as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach in January after 19 seasons without a losing record. He has since transitioned to a studio analyst job on NBC’s “Football Night in America.”
Tomlin discussed his pivot to the world of broadcasting while appearing as a guest on Wednesday’s episode of “New Heights” with Jason and Travis Kelce.
Mike Tomlin Gets Candid About His Broadcasting Gig
Tomlin’s run in Pittsburgh ended a day after the team’s 30-6 Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans, and he ultimately replaced another legendary NFL head coach, Tony Dungy, in NBC’s studio seat.
According to Front Office Sports, Tomlin may be earning in the eight figures in his new role with NBC. Before the switch to broadcasting, Tomlin was reportedly the fourth-highest-paid head coach in the NFL last year, earning approximately $16 million, per Sportico.
On “New Heights,” Jason Kelce complimented Tomlin for “killing it” in his new role on NBC’s Sunday Night Football and asked whether he was enjoying his job.
In typical Tomlin fashion, he replied, “I’m having a ball, man. It’s part-time work, full-time pay. You know what I mean?”
Both Kelce brothers laughed at this answer, and Travis responded, “Let’s go!” Tomlin was also asked whether he struggles with being biased toward the Steelers, an issue Jason has been criticized for regarding his Philadelphia Eagles allegiance on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
When Travis asked whether Tomlin had caught similar grief for speaking fondly of the Steelers on NBC, the former coach said, “To be honest with ya, I don’t care if I do.
Tomlin took it a step further, saying he couldn’t spend 19 years in one place, with a hand in bringing most of the players there, and not root for them, though he has a job to do and will do it. “But everybody knows where my heart is and where my support is, and I’m not apologizing for that,” he added.
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His ties to the Steelers showed up in his first appearance on the network in April when Tomlin predicted that Aaron Rodgers would return to the Steelers, and he was correct.
Tomlin was also asked about being just 34 years old when the Steelers hired him in 2007, making him only the franchise’s third coach since 1969 after Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher.
Looking back, Tomlin said, the job was frightening. Most new head coaches inherit struggling teams ready for change, he explained, while Pittsburgh had been stable through two long tenures.
“That’s a daunting task for anyone, certainly for someone that was in their early to mid-30s,” he admitted.
Of course, Tomlin won Super Bowl 43 in his second season and finished 193-114-2 in the regular season, tying Noll for the most wins in franchise history.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.