ESPN insider lists 4 early Steelers head coach candidates to replace Mike Tomlin

The Pittsburgh Steelers will embark on a new era in 2026, as Mike Tomlin stepped down as head coach after 19 seasons.

ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler reported the news on Tuesday, not even a full day after Pittsburgh's playoff defeat to the Houston Texans on Monday.

With Tomlin out the door, the Steelers will now begin a head coaching search for the first time in nearly two decades.

Fowler, who helped report the news of Tomlin's departure, listed four head coaching candidates Pittsburgh could have their eye on. The list includes multiple defensive coordinators, like Chris Shula of the Los Angeles Rams, Jeff Hafley of the Green Bay Packers, and Jesse Minter of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Fowler also mentions Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman as a potential candidate for the Steelers' job.

"Several defensive coordinators -- the Los Angeles Rams' Chris Shula, the Green Bay Packers' Jeff Hafley and the Los Angeles Chargers' Jesse Minter -- seem to fit that mold. Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman has rebuffed NFL intrigue but could revisit that for a job like this. The Steelers would be smart to modernize the offense, looking hard at that side of the ball, so several young offensive playcallers could come into play."

Shula, Minter, and Hafley are all promising defensive minds who will land head coaching jobs in this year's cycle or next year's. All would be solid fits in Pittsburgh, and fit the gritty culture of the franchise, dating back to the 1970s.

Freeman is a wild card for the job. The 40-year-old has done a wonderful job at Notre Dame, and as a result, he received NFL interest in late December.

However, Freeman will return to the Fighting Irish in 2026, but that could change if the Steelers' job is attractive to him.

Based on Fowler's comments, it looks like Pittsburgh will target a defensive coach to replace Tomlin, which fits the brand of the franchise. Moving in a more offensive direction would be a wise move from the team, though

We'll see how Pittsburgh's head coaching search unfolds, who they decide to interview, and who they eventually hire as the franchise's fourth head coach since 1968.