Mike Tomlin might be gone

Sports Illustrated is reporting that the Steelers have offered their vacanted head coaching position to Mike Tomlin! (here is the Pioneer Press blog on this hire)

This IS quite a development from more than 1 angle.

1. The Vikings are going to lose the one positive constant on 2006's team. The defense was on pace to be the best rush defense in the history of the NFL. That was of course before the team totally quit for their season finale vs. St. Louis.
   
2. The Steelers are less than 1 year removed from winning the Super Bowl and they have decided to give control of their team to a 34 yr old coach with only 1 year experience as a coordinator!

I don't like this development at all. When Tomlin was hired, there was a lot of press about how he was a rising star and may someday leave the organization to be a head coach. I had hoped that at least we'd have him for a few years. Get himself established as a coordinator, not be 1 year removed from being a position coach. Some thought it was even a stretch to hire Tomlin as the Vikings Coordinator. But he was successful and very good for the Vikings in 2006. I am a big fan of Tomlin and I hope this report is inaccurate.

BUT, Tomlin was not perfect last year. It isn't easy to forget that the Vikings pass defense was LAST in the NFL. We were unable to adjust to other team's passing schemes (especially between the hash marks). That is what makes this hire so bizarre for an organization like Pittsburg.

Nothing has been confirmed and nobody outside of Sports Illustrated is reporting it (here is ESPN's version). Regardless of how you feel about Tomlin, this is potentially a big event for the Vikings.