Asked about his contract, Mike Tomlin walks away from podium

With plenty of noise regarding coach Mike Tomlin's future in Pittsburgh — and in the aftermath of a Saturday report that Tomlin will discuss his future with his family after the season ends — it was inevitable he'd be asked about it after Monday's playoff game at Buffalo.

He almost wasn't. As often is the case with a slew of reporters and a potentially sensitive subject, no one had asked about it during the press conference until the last call for questions was made. A reporter prefaced a question by saying, "Mike, you have a year left on your contract. . . ."

Before the next word came out, Tomlin turned to his left and walked away.

As we reported during halftime of Saturday's Browns-Texans game on NBC, Tomlin always assesses his situation after every season ends. This year, however, is unique because he always has gotten an extension with at least two years left on his deal.

Now, he's one season away from free agency. Unrestricted. Unfettered. No franchise tag. No salary cap.

Will he sign a new contract in Pittsburgh? (The Steelers intend to try.) Will he resign and perhaps join a new team that trades for his rights in the current cycle? Will he resign and return to a new team, with compensation, in 2025? Or will he just finish his contract and go wherever he wants?

We don't know. All we do know is that, if the topic comes up, he'll walk out of the room.