INDIANAPOLIS — Hired seven years ago, Zac Taylor has become the dean of AFC North coaches.
Whereas recently as two months back, he was matching wits with a pair of Super Bowl winners and a two-time NFL coach of the year, the Cincinnati Bengals’ Taylor saw each of his three divisional contemporaries part ways with their respective teams last month.
“It’s a little strange,” Taylor said Tuesday from the NFL combine site. “I have a lot of respect for all three of those guys.”
Those three guys are Kevin Stefanski (fired by the Cleveland Browns), John Harbaugh (fired by the Baltimore Ravens) and Mike Tomlin (who stepped down from the Pittsburgh Steelers).
Stefanski and Harbaugh were each hired by other teams — the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants, respectively.
Harbaugh and Tomlin had faced each other more often than all but one pair of head coaches in NFL history. Tomlin spent the past 19 seasons as Steelers’ coach; Harbaugh the past 18 with the Ravens. Each led his team to a Super Bowl win.
"I got to be across from Mike Tomlin for 18 years in some heated battles... I admire that very much." ????
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) February 24, 2026
Giants HC John Harbaugh has the ultimate respect for his former rival coach in the AFC North pic.twitter.com/tgN4o0no8Y
While Harbaugh is in Indianapolis representing his new team, this is the first combine (not counting the 2021 covid cancellation) that has not featured Tomlin since 2006.
“Just nothing but respect and admiration for what he’s done,” Harbaugh said of Tomlin. “I feel, just honored to be a part of that, you know?
“The thing about Mike, the thing that makes him such a great coach is that you know what to expect from his teams. … The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t the Pittsburgh Steelers because they’re in Pittsburgh. Or because they wear black and gold. Or because they have a nickname that’s tough and steely, or because of anything other than the personality of the people that are running the program. Mike has been the face of that organization.
“I got to be across from Mike Tomlin for 18 years in some heated battles, and you always knew what you were going to get because it was a Mike Tomlin-coached football team. And I admire that very much.”
Though Tomlin stepped down six weeks ago, Tuesday was Steelers general manager Omar Khan’s first opportunity to speak publicly about him.
Khan said he and Tomlin talked for about two hours after Tomlin’s resignation became official Jan. 13.
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to have worked side-by-side with him for so long,” Khan said. “He was a great partner, and I’m always going to appreciate the times that we had. We had a shared vision, and it was great, and I learned so much. I look forward to staying in touch with him. Just a lot of respect.”
