Mike Tomlin to join NBC’s Sunday night NFL pregame show: Sources
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- Mike Tomlin, former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, is joining NBC as a top studio analyst for "Football Night in America," NBC's Sunday night NFL pregame show.
- NBC is revamping its pregame show, which has led to changes including Tony Dungy's departure and uncertainty around other analysts, aiming for more current star power with fewer personalities.
- Tomlin, who retired after 19 seasons with the Steelers without a losing record and a Super Bowl win in 2009, was highly sought after by networks, with Fox also interested but NBC ultimately securing him.
- The NFL's ongoing TV rights renegotiations and potential contract changes have made networks cautious about big spending on personalities, positioning NBC favorably to land Tomlin.
- While Tomlin is expected to bring valuable insight to NBC, his future coaching prospects remain uncertain, similar to Bill Cowher's path after coaching the Steelers before moving to TV analysis.
