If Mike Tomlin heads to the broadcasting world, Mike Florio isn’t putting a ceiling on the kind of career he could have. Opining on Tomlin’s likely move into television following his hiring of a marquee sports agency, Florio believes Tomlin’s broadcasting career could rival his coaching resume.
“I personally think he could be the next John Madden if he jumps into the booth, but he could be a guy who’s a revelation in the studio as well,” Florio said Wednesday on 93.7 The Fan. “The way he comes up with those sound bites. I think some of his sayings, I don’t know this, I don’t think he’s work shopping in ahead of time. I don’t think he’s writing it at night. I think he just comes up with it in the moment. I think he could be great in the right studio setting and it’s gonna come down to I think where he thinks he fits.”
Tomlin was known for his Tomlin-isms, quips he’d drop during press conferences that often went viral. Volunteers not hostages, fine line between drinking wine and smashing grapes, and catch-all mantras like the standard is the standard. All meant to cut through verbose speeches, Tomlin’s quick soundbites were easily digestible not just for the media but for his players. That became even more critical later in his career to relate to Gen-Z players with shorter attention spans.
On the surface, there are parallels. John Madden was a legendary coach before becoming an iconic broadcaster. His broadcasting career began about a decade earlier in age than Tomlin could start his, but Tomlin could theoretically be in the booth for the next 10-15 years if he so chooses.
Still, it’s hard to think Tomlin will have the same post-coaching arc. Tomlin seems better suited for a studio role than color analyst in the booth. The broadcasting world lacks legendary color commentators like John Madden. With games spread out on so many networks, the pageantry of a primetime contest even has been lost.
Even if Tomlin takes a slightly different path, Florio is confident networks will open up their wallets to hire him.
“When you hire the guy that used to represent John Madden, there’s gonna be a financial component that somebody’s gotta be ready to match,” he said. “And my guess is they’ll get all of the NFL broadcast partners at the table, give ’em all the chance to make their best financial offer. And then Mike Tomlin is gonna make a decision with that information in mind.”
One media insider thinks NBC is now the slight favorite over FOX to hire Tomlin.
If Tomlin sees broadcasting as a long-term play and not a one-year stopgap like Sean Payton, his path will more closely resemble two other well-known coaches. Bill Cowher, an anchor on CBS’ pregame show for two decades. Or Tomlin’s mentor, Tony Dungy, whose spot he could take on NBC’s retooled Football Night in America.
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