Tomlin named 3rd Steelers coach since '69
Mike Tomlin, who got a call with an express offer and accepted without delay the deal believed worth about $10 million, was introduced Monday as the third head coach of the Steelers since 1969.
The news conference yesterday presenting Tomlin, 34, as rising to a head coaching position for the first time, occurred after a weekend of confusion surrounding the successor to Bill Cowher, who resigned Jan. 5. Several media outlets reported the Steelers had decided on Tomlin as their next head coach, while the Tribune-Review reported Sunday that former Steelers offensive line/assistant head coach Russ Grimm had been offered and accepted the job Saturday.
Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney said the team never made an offer to Grimm.
"Our integrity means more than anything to me," Rooney said. "It means more than anything we're doing."
The Rooneys were tight-lipped about their discussions with Grimm.
"You're better off talking to (team President Art Rooney II)," Dan Rooney said. "He knows what the story is."
Rooney II, who headed the search, said the Steelers and Grimm "discussed an offer." When pressed whether an offer had been extended to Grimm on Saturday, Rooney II said, "Today's not the day to discuss the process."
The Steelers lost Grimm, apparently as a result of the discussion. Grimm, 47, requested and was granted his release from his contract, which ran through the 2007 season. Grimm, a former University of Pittsburgh and Washington Redskins star offensive lineman, did not respond to interview requests.
Tomlin, who is the same age that Cowher was when he took over for Chuck Noll in 1992, said he did not talk to the Steelers until after 3 p.m. Sunday.
Tomlin said he was watching the NFC Championship game with his family in Minnesota when he got a call from Rooney II offering him the job.
The two sides agreed to a four-year contract with a team option for a fifth season.
The Steelers said they picked Tomlin, who had been the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator, in part because of his similarity to Cowher. Besides being the same age, they were defensive coordinators when hired.
"You knew it wasn't going to be long before he started moving up the ladder," said Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy, who gave Tomlin his start in the NFL, as a secondary coach at Tampa Bay in 2001. "I knew, at some point, he was going to be an outstanding head coach."
Tomlin said he will retain Dick LeBeau as defensive coordinator.
The Steelers have recommended Tomlin retain the other assistants but said the final decision rests with him.
