Mike Tomlin is testing the TV market waters.
The former Steelers head coach has signed with longtime sports media agent Sandy Montag’s agency, sources told Front Office Sports.
Montag and former sportscaster-turned-agent Alex Flanagan will represent Tomlin in potential contract talks with networks and streamers, sources said. Flanagan, the former anchor/reporter for NBC Sports and NFL Network, led the signing and will handle Tomlin’s day-to-day representation. The Montag Group could not be reached for comment.
When Tomlin stepped away from the Pittsburgh job after 19 years and one Super Bowl championship earlier this year, the expectation was that he would ignite a bidding war amongst the NFL’s rights partners. While there are fewer former head coaches in broadcasting roles than there used to be, the 54-year-old is expected to have multiple suitors.
NBC recently parted ways with Tony Dungy after 17 years. Fox slid Rob Gronkowski into Jimmy Johnson’s seat on its top-rated Sunday pregame show, but that doesn’t rule out the possibility that it adds another Super Bowl-winning head coach later. Due to Matt Ryan’s return to the Falcons in a front office role, CBS now has an open chair on the set of The NFL Today pregame show.
Montag, the founder of The Montag Group, now a division of The Team (formerly Wasserman), also represents Mike Tirico, Jim Nantz, Scott Van Pelt, James Brown, and Dick Vitale. He was famously the agent for the late John Madden.
Tomlin wrapped his 19-season run as Steelers coach with a regular-season record of 193-114-2. That tied him with the legendary coach Chuck Knoll for all-time franchise wins. He led the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XLIII against the Cardinals. His 19 seasons without a losing record tied him for second place in NFL history with Bill Belichick. The late Tom Landry remains No. 1 with 21 straight winning seasons.
