Curt Popejoy, Steelers WireThu, January 15, 2026 at 3:12 AM UTC·1 min readThe Pittsburgh Steelers were caught off guard on Tuesday when Mike Tomlin chose to step away as the team's head coach after 19 seasons. This was huge news and so team President Art Rooney II addressed the situation via a press conference on Wednesday. The search for Tomlin's replacement has begun and one reporter asked Rooney if either of the Steelers current coordinators are considered candidates to be the Steelers next head coach.
Rooney didn't mince words in his response.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"You know, right now I don't think that anybody on our staff is a candidate," Rooney said. "Maybe a candidate to stay on the staff, depending on what the new head coach wants to do, but probably not as a head coach."
This is especially important for offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. He's been named as a potential head coach candidate for the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans but he's not considered as candidate to be elevated by his current team.
Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is heading into the offseason without a contract, so it is highly unlikely a new head coach will retain him. In fact, the only coordinator from 2025 we expect to see on the team in 2026 is special teams coordinator Danny Smith.
Pittsburgh has already requested multiple head coach interviews, according to reports. This includes Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores who spent one season with the Steelers as a defensive assistant and is sure to be a fan favorite to replace Tomlin.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: President Art Rooney II gives the hard truth about the Steelers coaching staff.
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