Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has been in the news recently with rumors of him leaving the NFL and taking a coaching job in college football. Tomlin quickly told the media that there was no truth to him being interested in any college job.
“That will be the last time that I address it. Never say never, but never” said Tomlin on the rumors.
It turns out that the rumors may have stemmed from one of Tomlin’s former players, ESPN analyst Ryan Clark. Clark then went on Sportscenter to discuss the rumors that he says he started.
“This is partly my fault, I went on a rant last Wednesday about how we should offer him so much money that if he turns it down it would be disrespectful to the Lord Jesus Christ himself to say no,” said Clark on the head coaching vacancy at his alma mater, LSU.
“I wanted to offer Mike Tomlin so much money that I even threw it in that if he decided to take the job at LSU, I am done with TV and I would go to be the defensive backs coach if that is what he needs,” said Clark.
Based on the coach’s reaction, this is something that Mike Tomlin has heard from more than just Ryan Clark. Earlier this week, Carson Palmer broke the news on The Dan Patrick Show that Tomlin was someone his alma mater, USC would like to talk to.
Clark played for Nick Saban at LSU. He entered the NFL in 2002 and made his way to the Steelers in 2006. He played eight seasons in Pittsburgh, including seven with Tomlin serving as head coach.
“That’s my fault Coach T, they had said that you might be in the running for it and when they asked me about it, I said that I would like for you to come,” Clark said.