Giants get hit with unexpected Mike Tomlin snag in head coach search

If you thought this offseason's coaching carousel was chaotic enough, think again. The New York Giants have enough competition on the head coaching market, but the competition is about to grow even more after the shocker that is the opening of the Pittsburgh Steelers' head coaching job

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that following the Steelers' pathetic 30-6 playoff loss to the Houston Texans last night, Mike Tomlin would be stepping away from coaching. The Super Bowl-winning head coach was the longest-tenured coach in football, so this will certainly alter the search.

However, Rapoport made it clear he wasn't fired, as this feels like a situation in which he's leaving on his own accord. Before his departure, Tomlin was the longest-tenured head coach in football, so it was a classy move from the Steelers' ownership to allow him to step away rather than fire him.

This is what Steelers fans have been waiting for years for, but it is the worst-case scenario for the Giants.

Giants receive more competition on head coaching trail after shocking Mike Tomlin firing

It's not overly surprising to see Tomlin be fired, as the Steelers haven't won a playoff game since 2017 and have lost five straight playoff games by double-digit points. And in last night's loss to the Texans, the 53-year-old tied Marvin Lewis for the most playoff losses without a victory, which is sad.

Tomlin isn't a viable candidate for the Giants' job, as he plans to go the TV route for a season and attempt a return to coaching in 2027. Where this hurts Big Blue is that it adds more competition on the coaching trail, as nine vacancies are now available at the head coach level after another stunner.

The interesting part here is that the Week 18 win over the Ravens got the Giants' top candidate, John Harbaugh, fired, but Tomlin himself was fired just a week later. And the worst part is that that is another job that could be more desirable than the Giants due to their recent playoff track record.

The belief is that the Giants have one of the more desirable head coaching openings, but, like the Ravens and Falcons, the Steelers also have a roster set up to compete instantly, especially compared to the opening in New York, where a new head coach inherits the ruins of a rebuild.

The Giants have a lot to offer with Jaxson Dart and some impressive young pieces, but here's hoping the Steelers' track record of success doesn't lead them to pursue Harbaugh and complicate matters for Joe Schoen and John Mara.