Imagine you're about to retire from your current job. One that you've done professionally for 22 years. But, instead of cashing in on that pension or Social Security, you've got a handy little 10-year, $375 million contract headed your way.
A day in the life of being Tom Brady, folks.
That monster contract is coming from FOX as Brady will be the lead analyst for NFL games once his playing days are over. So, you know, in like 2033.
It's been an offseason full of broadcaster movement in the NFL and it's been working like player free agency. One guy signs for X amount for this network and the next guy to sign has to get paid more. It's all a tremendous testament to the obscene amounts of money the NFL generates for its networks and hey, good on these broadcasters for cashing in.
So when broadcasters are getting paid more than some NFL coaches, questions start to swirl about which ones may say, "forget this", and leave coaching to get into the booth. Sean McVay and Sean Payton have been thrown into that mix.
Mike Tomlin has also been thrown into that mix. There are stories out there saying that TV executives think he could be the next Tony Romo or better. You know what? He probably would be fantastic. We know the man has a way with words and says things in ways that many of us mere average human beings cannot.
But I don't see him doing it. Mike Tomlin is a football coach.
And he LOVES being a football coach. We know that he loves being the Steelers head coach, too. There's not a booster with a big enough blank check to lure him away into the college game, certainly. His words, not mine.
Part of how I know that Tomlin loves being a head football coach in the NFL is the process he just went through: the draft. He mentioned how he enjoys the entire experience, getting to know the prospects, sitting down with them and their families, pouring over their film. How many pictures and videos did we see of him standing on the sidelines at someone's Pro Day looking giddy about just being there and watching football workouts?
He always references the "journey" that every season is and enjoying the work that's put in every day to find success in a season. He loves the minutia of football. Which, to me, would be the reason why someone would want to leaving the coaching ranks and get into broadcasting. It's a lot of work.
But Mike Tomlin is a different breed. He thinks he relishes the work. He feeds off of it. I don't see a desire to go to a cushier job from him right now. He's also never really been one to chase the spotlight and the cameras, either. Heck, he just started to make more appearances on podcasts and things of that nature, recently.
Now…I'm also not naïve. I know that money talks. If you dangle a Tom Brady-like contract in front of anybody, you never know how a mind may change. But I also don't get the sense that Tomlin is a bag chaser, either. He isn't plastered all over our televisions in commercials and endorsement deals.
He hasn't made any big money demands over his time as head coach. Although, in recent years he hasn't had much ground to stand on to do so.
Maybe it's in the cards for him way down the road. If things go terribly wrong post-Big Ben and he is eventually fired, then maybe it will be a bigger consideration. Maybe 10 years down the road, when he enters his 60's, getting out of the daily grind and cashing in will be more attractive.
But I don't think we have to worry about Mike Tomlin jumping ship for TV any time soon.
Winning more games in the playoffs…now that's a more legitimate concern.
