Mike Tomlin resigned from the Steelers on Jan. 13, stepping away after 19 seasons with a 175-word statement. On Thursday, he made his first public comments since leaving.
Tomlin and his wife, Kiya, were honored with the Patricia R. Rooney Community Impact Award at the Ireland Funds Gala. His acceptance was a little over a minute.
“It’s often said we’re not here for a long time; we’re here for a good time. Like you have to choose,” Tomlin said, via video from Brooke Pryor of ESPN, “and I think our experience here in Pittsburgh and with the great Steelers organization exemplifies that: We were here for a long and really good time.
“It’s been an honor to serve the greatest organization in sports. It’s been an honor to be a part of this great community, to call it home, for our kids to call it home. We’re in somewhat of a nomadic business, and so we don’t take that for granted, and our kids get an opportunity to call Pittsburgh home. It’s been an honor to serve the community in which we live, the values that we hold, and it will continue.”
The Steelers replaced Tomlin with Mike McCarthy.