The 2026 NFL season marks the first time in decades that Mike Tomlin won’t be found on the sidelines. While the former Steelers coach has transitioned into TV broadcasting, he’s about to gain unexpected popularity in a niche of the internet—a space dedicated to “Minecraft” streaming.
That’s right; Tomlin, known for his years at the helm of the Steelers, is opening the doors to the pixelated city he’s been building for the last twelve years. His foray into this block-filled world seems, well, quite fitting.
In a recent social media video, he shared, “It was therapeutic for me. It allowed me to detach from the pressures and the reality of life. Kind of my secret obsession, and so let’s take you all through it.” The teaser showed a glimpse of a full video on his YouTube channel, featuring an aerial view of a city that included a baseball field, streets, and buildings that seemed to have HVAC units on the rooftops. Pretty impressive, right?
It’s evident that Tomlin is serious about this venture, and, honestly, I think that’s great.
During an interview at the season’s start, Tomlin revealed he is a huge fan of “Minecraft,” a game that’s really taken off culturally. It actually makes a lot of sense to me. Being an NFL coach comes with immense pressure and constant scrutiny. What better way to escape that than by getting lost in constructing your own 8-bit stadium?
I can’t think of a better way to tune out the chaos and refocus on what’s at hand. If you’re curious how he managed to coach at such a high level for so long, well, spending twelve years on this project might just be the answer.
Now that Tomlin’s not coaching an NFL team, he has more time to invest in “Tomlinburg” (or whatever name he’s given it). I have a feeling it’s going to look like a miniature Tokyo before long.
