William Shakespeare wrote in ‘The Tempest’ that, ‘Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.’
It’s certainly not an uncommon notion in the ever-volatile NFL, either.
Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti was in the middle of a previously scheduled news conference Tuesday afternoon to discuss his firing last week of coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons and one Super Bowl victory. As he was answering questions about Harbaugh and looking to the future, Bisciotti was informed that Baltimore’s archrival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, were also in need of a new coach after Mike Tomlin, the only coach in the league with a longer tenure than Harbaugh just a week ago, had decided to step down.
A stunned Bisciotti then entertained the notion of Tomlin being a candidate to replace Harbaugh.
‘Holy (expletive),’ laughed Bisciotti, who’s been the Ravens’ majority owner for more than two decades.
‘Wouldn’t that be awesome?! Only if John takes the Pittsburgh job. Wow, wouldn’t that be interesting? I don’t know − that thing last week maybe disqualified (Tomlin) from my opening.’
Bisciotti was referring to the Ravens’ loss to the Steelers in the final game of the 2025 regular season, an outcome that gave Pittsburgh the AFC North title and prevented Baltimore from retaining it − while ensuring the Ravens wouldn’t qualify for the playoffs at all.
‘Good for Mike,’ added Bisciotti. ‘I don’t know. Talk to (Ravens GM Eric DeCosta). I love Mike. I’ve admired Mike for 18 years, and that’s really shocking that he did it that way. Yes, that’s kind of crazy. I didn’t know that. I’ll leave that to (DeCosta). Wow.’
Long a relative bastion of stability, the AFC North now has three open HC jobs, the Cleveland Browns also looking for one after firing two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski on Black Monday.
