Mike Florio predicted Mike Tomlin could be the next John Madden, one of the greatest to ever transition from coaching to the media. But not everybody is as high on Tomlin’s acumen as an entertainer on studio television. Longtime Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly stated his opinion to the contrary Monday on 93.7 The Fan’s Morning Show.
“Terrible,” Kaboly put it bluntly when asked how Tomlin would do on TV. “Honestly, I think he should be a podcaster. I think if Tomlin goes and does the typical studio show, I think it’s gonna be a disaster. I think he has to have a clearly defined niche, then I think he’ll be good. If he sits up there for six minutes on Sunday Night Football, I think it’s not gonna be good at all.”
Tomlin has reportedly secured representation in the sports media world, presumably to land him a job in his post-coaching career on the television side of things. Many coaches—including former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher—have gone down that route to great success.
Prior to Tomlin resigning after 19 seasons as the Steelers’ head coach, prominent media figures were constantly talking about how in-demand he would be with the major networks if he wanted a job in the media. It’s easy to see why as one of the most recognizable figures in the NFL. Even reflecting back to HBO’s Hard Knocks in 2024, Tomlin was the clear star of the show over the other AFC North coaches.
The key question is whether that candid style will translate to a typical studio environment. Pre-game shows have increasingly grown more whimsical and goofy to retain viewers with some serious analysis mixed in on the side. And Tomlin openly said in the past that he had no desire to be critical of his peers around the NFL in a media role. He could walk that line on a studio show, but it would be difficult and might not make for good TV.
If you observed Tomlin’s press conferences over the years, he mastered the art of saying a lot of words without much substance. His “Tomlin-isms” caught on, but most of the time that was just because they were bizarre sayings that only he could come up with. To be successful in a studio environment, he would need to come out of his shell in a way we have rarely seen.
The best example is how he interacted with podcasts like The Rich Eisen Show or The Pivot with Ryan Clark and company. If they can get him in that type of environment, it would be a home run.
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