The changing of the guard in Pittsburgh hits close to home for the Buffalo Bills. After 19 seasons with the Steelers, Mike Tomlin announced on Tuesday that he is stepping away from coaching and the franchise he commanded to two Super Bowl appearances.
Buffalo and Pittsburgh have long been intertwined in the football world. Legendary Bills QB Jim Kelly was a born and bred Yinzer. The Bills are still looking for their first trip back to the Super Bowl since he retired.
But of course, in recent years, the tie between the two blue-collar cities has been the relationship between the two head coaches, Tomlin and Sean McDermott, whose relationship spans back decades to their time on the William and Mary football team. After McDermott caught news of Tomlin’s decision to leave Pittsburgh, he offered up his thoughts on his old pal’s storied career.
Bills HC Sean McDermott weighs in on Mike Tomlin stepping away from Steelers
“What a career,” McDermott said on Tuesday. “For me, first getting introduced to Mike on campus at William & Mary years ago - he was a role model and trailblazer for me. You could tell he was going to do great things in his career and his life.”
"True honor and pleasure to be around him."
McDermott and Tomlin’s careers have followed in near lockstep since their time at William and Mary, and both proved, despite their small-school beginnings, that they have the cut of a successful NFL head coach. Tomin went 19 years without a losing season, and now that he’s no longer an active coach, McDermott’s streak of seven straight non-losing seasons now stands as the league’s longest streak. McDermott also became the second-longest tenured active coach behind Andy Reid.
McDermott and Tomlin faced each other on the field as head coaches five times, with McDermott picking up four victories. In their most recent matchup, McDermott’s Bills set a new Acrisure Stadium opponent single-game rushing record with 249 yards on the ground in a 26-7 win.
READ MORE: Sean McDermott explains late call that had Bills Mafia bracing for disaster
Of course, now Bills fans have to hope that their rivalry doesn’t become more regular with Tomlin taking a job in the AFC East. The Miami Dolphins are surely already scrambling to see if Tomlin will fill their vacancy, and the New York Jets just got something to think about themselves after Aaron Glenn’s disastrous first season.
Then there are those who believe in the possibility that Tomlin replaces McDermott. After a tense Wild Card victory, McDermott’s job is likely safe through 2026. However, Tomlin won’t technically become a free agent until then, with many expecting him to take the year away from the sidelines. Certainly, Bills fans will be keeping a watch on Tomlin’s next move, wherever it might be.
For now, though, the Bills are backing McDermott, hoping that this team can finally get over the hump to reach Super Bowl LX. Though, just like the fans in Pittsburgh, Bills fans are growing restless, impatient, and things of that nature.