With Tomlin leaving, Spoelstra becomes longest tenured active coach in major US sports
January 13, 2026
Erik Spoelstra is now the longest-serving coach among the four major U.S. sports leagues. This change follows Mike Tomlin’s departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday. Spoelstra, who has led the Miami Heat since 2008, expressed disappointment about the news. He became the NBA’s longest-tenured coach after Gregg Popovich retired last year. Spoelstra admired Tomlin’s motivational style and wished more teams valued stability. He also noted the recent end of John Harbaugh’s 18-season run with the Baltimore Ravens. Spoelstra sees his long tenure as a sign of the profession’s lack of patience.