There’s Mike Tomlin Blowback for the Vikings
After 19 years, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin resigned on Tuesday, setting into motion an NFL frenzy, especially as his foremost rival, John Harbaugh, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens, left his post, as well. And believe it or not, the Tomlin resignation has indirect effects on the Minnesota Vikings.
Tomlin’s departure from Pittsburgh shuffles the Steelers’ shortlist, and it could also nudge Minnesota’s defensive staff plans.
Tomlin served as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator before taking the big job in Pittsburgh two decades ago, and in 2025, his exit from Pittsburgh may affect the purple team.
Coaching Carousel Dominoes for Minnesota Include Tomlin
A look at the ways Tomlin’s departure can touch Minnesota.
1. Brian Flores Rockets to the Top of PIT’s Replacement HC List
Flores said in the middle of the 2024 regular season that he would only accept a head coaching job with the “right opportunity.” There is no more stable job in American sports than the Steelers’ head coaching job.
Pittsburgh has employed three head coaches in franchise history, and with any luck, Flores could be the fourth. He even worked on Tomlin’s 2022 defensive staff, so the Steelers’ brass already know Flores from that pit stop.
SI.com‘s Noah Strackbein wrote Wednesday about the Steelers’ HC replacement plan, “The options are wide, as names like Klint Kubiak, Chris Shula and maybe even college coaches like Marcus Freeman and Kurt Cignetti could be on the market. But the names the Steelers have in mind seem to be an old friend.”
“The belief around the Steelers organization is that Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator, and former Pittsburgh linebackers coach, Brian Flores, is the favorite to replace Tomlin. Flores, who is 44-years-old, spent the 2022 season with the team, working as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach.”
For what it’s worth, Flores may have stayed in Minnesota if not for Tomlin’s decision to walk away. Stay tuned for his pursuit of the Steelers’ job. Oddsmakers believe it will happen.
2. Tomlin Suddenly a 2027 HC Option for Vikings
Keeping in mind that Tomlin has a connection to the Vikings’ ownership from 20 years ago, there’s a decent chance that he would be the replacement option if Kevin O’Connell were fired after the 2026 campaign.
Of course, Minnesota might play great, reach the playoffs, and maybe even win a postseason game for the first time in seven years next season. Then, this Tomlin theory would be moot.
Still, O’Connell has coached the Vikings for four seasons, led them to the playoff dance twice, and won zero postseason games. Most NFL coaches don’t get a Year No. 5 with zero playoff wins. O’Connell is different. Yes, this suggests he’ll be on the hot seat come summer. That is — when NFL-themed media published lists of “coaches on the hot seat in 2026,” O’Connell will be somewhere near the top of those pecking orders.
It would not be weird one bit for Minnesota to move on from O’Connell after a playoff-less 2026 season and hire Tomlin for 2027 and beyond.
3. Aaron Rodgers Sideways Back in Vikings Rumor Mill
Some may need to hold their nose for this one.
Rodgers’ future is uncertain, and if he acts like traditional Rodgers, he will drag out his retirement announcement for several months. He and his buddy Brett Favre have a knack for baiting the media into long, drawn-out offseason sagas.
However, had Tomlin returned for Year No. 20 in Pittsburgh, Rodgers’ reunion with the Steelers probably would have been more likely. The Vikings, meanwhile, announced early this offseason that they will hold an open quarterback competition in the summer of 2026. They had no such thing in the summer of 2025.
Last year, Rodgers reportedly wanted to be a Viking, pushing a one-year proposal to make a run at the Super Bowl with O’Connell and friends.
With a quarterback competition all but guaranteed in the Twin Cities this offseason, Rodgers’ name will remain relevant in the rumor mill. It won’t help that he relishes the spotlight. So, until he formally retires, Rodgers will be linked indefinitely to the Vikings as a J.J. McCarthy competitor.
Star Tribune‘s Michael Rand opined this week on Rodgers to Minnesota, “If that’s the case … and Rodgers wants to play another year … and still likes the idea of coming to Minnesota … it could be a fit. He’s started all but one game in the last two seasons and put up decent numbers (52 TDs and 18 INTs over 33 regular-season games with the Jets in 2024 and Steelers this year).”
“He’s been a decent veteran QB, which sounds a lot better after enduring the Vikings’ 2025 season than it might have sounded going into 2025. Ultimately, it will come down to what Rodgers wants to do and how the Vikings plan to approach 2026. But one thing has been true with Rodgers for years: Whenever you think it’s over, it’s usually just beginning.”
That could’ve been avoided if Tomlin hadn’t resigned.
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