The Pittsburgh Steelers are not expected to fire head coach Mike Tomlin before the end of the 2025 season, but they do face an approaching deadline regarding his contract, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter.

Schefter notes that after this season, Tomlin's contract will have two years remaining: 2026 and a team option in 2027. Schefter, citing sources, says the Steelers must decide whether to pick up the option on Tomlin's contract by March 1, 2026, before the start of the new league year.

If the Steelers don't pick up Tomlin's option, he enters the final year of his deal by becoming what has often been described as a "lame duck" coach. Teams typically prefer to sign their coaches to extensions before they enter this so-called "lame duck" status, Schefter adds.

Fans, former players weigh in on Tomlin's status

At his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Tomlin was asked and responded about the "Fire Tomlin" chants that could be heard inside Acrisure Stadium during and following the team's 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

"In general, I agree with them, from this perspective: Football is our game, we're in a sport entertainment business," Tomlin said Tuesday. "And so if you root for the Steelers, entertaining them is winning. And so when you're not winning, it's not entertaining."

One of Tomlin's former players, Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, also gave his opinion on the chants and the team's performance, saying a fresh start could be what's best for Mike Tomlin and the Steelers.

"Maybe it's clean house time, maybe it is, and I like Coach Tomlin," Roethlisberger said. "I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin, but maybe it's best for him, too. Maybe a fresh start for him is what's best, whether that's in the pros or not."

In the interim, Tomlin and the Steelers have their focus on Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens, where the winner will take sole possession of first place in the AFC North.