What year did head coach Mike Tomlin start with the Pittsburgh Steelers?
It was a classic case of the NFL's "Rooney Rule" working to
perfection. The rule, adopted in 2003, is named for Pittsburgh
Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who has been a proponent of requiring
NFL teams to interview at least one minority candidate for vacant
front office and coaching positions.
When longtime Pittsburgh head coach Bill Cowher decided to step
down after the 2006 season, the Rooney family interviewed several
potential replacements, including Steelers offensive coordinator
Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm. When Whisenhunt
accepted the job as head football coach of the Arizona Cardinals on
January 14, 2007, there was speculation that Grimm would replace
Cowher.
But the Rooney family decided to enforce the "Rooney Rule" and
made arrangements to interview Mike Tomlin, who was little known to
casual football fans but well-regarded as a defensive guru. Tomlin
had served as defensive backs coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(winning a Super Bowl ring after the 2002 season) and defensive
coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings. The Rooney family reportedly
was very impressed by Tomlin during his interview with them.
Although a Pittsburgh newspaper reported that Grimm had been
offered the job, the Steelers announced on January 22, 2007 that
Tomlin take over the Steelers.
Tomlin has evolved into a premier NFL head coach. He guided the
Steelers to a sixth Super Bowl championship on February 1, 2009
against the Cardinals (and coaches Whisenhunt and Grimm) in Super
Bowl XLIII. Pittsburgh defeated Arizona, 27-23, as Tomlin, a month
shy of his 37th birthday, became the youngest head coach to win a
Super Bowl. Two years later, he became the youngest head coach ever
to return to the Super Bowl when the Steelers competed against the
Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. The Packers outlasted the
Steelers, 31-25.
Through the 2010 season, Tomlin's overall record at Pittsburgh
is 48-23-0, including postseason games.