Former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has made the pivot to media. One question won’t go away.

Will he coach again?

“I’m having a lot of fun,” Tomlin said Wednesday on an NBC conference call, via Mark Maske of Front Office Sports. “Haven’t given one iota of thought about coaching. I’m sure that, you know, some of that’s going to come up in the not-too-distant future. But I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Really haven’t thought a lot about it. Really excited about my new role and working to get better each and every week.”

He’s excellent in his new role. Which serves as a reminder to all NFL owners that he’s excellent as a coach.

Here’s the reality. Owners and/or their proxies will be reaching out through the backchannels, sooner rather than later. Some teams may not even be thinking about changing coaches unless they believe they can get Tomlin.

Despite the league’s procedures when it comes to coaches, it would be naive to think some jobs aren’t unofficially filled before the interview process ends.

Ultimately, the manner in which any pursuit of Tomlin unfolds will be dictated by him. If he says, “I’ll entertain nothing until the regular season ends,” interested teams will have to factor that into their planning. If they really want Tomlin, they’ll have to wait.

Tomlin can also wait for the right opportunity. He’d still be at the top of the “A” list after the 2027 season, and possibly (if not likely) beyond. He’d surely want to pick a team that has everything he needs to be successful right away. With the key factors (as they would be for any coaching candidate with options) being ownership support and quality of quarterback.

This year, teams to potentially watch (and this is my own list, pulled out of thin air and/or my butt) include the Jets, the Colts, the Eagles, and the Panthers.

The Cowboys would make the list, if owner and G.M. Jerry Jones was truly willing to write the check. He made it clear last week that he’s not.

And it surely will require the shattering of the piggy bank to get Tomlin. With the top of the coaching market in the range of $25 million annually, it’ll likely take $30 million (or more) annually to even get his attention.

The one to watch most closely is the Panthers. Owner David Tepper, who previously owned a piece of the Steelers, is widely believed to be very interested in Tomlin. The Jets make sense, too; with the Giants reaping the instant benefit of hiring Tomlin’s former arch rival, John Harbaugh, Jets owner Woody Johnson may become motivated to do whatever it takes to get Tomlin.