Tomlin '95 Super Bowl-bound again

Savoring a Super victory Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin (center) '95 celebrates his team's victory over Arizona two years ago in the Super Bowl. The Steelers will try to give their coach his second Vince Lombardi Trophy when they play Green Bay in Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6.

by Jim Ducibella | January 24, 2011

Mike Tomlin '95 has guided the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Super Bowl for the second time in his four seasons at the helm.

Pittsburgh advanced to play the Green Bay Packers on Feb. 6 with a 24-19 victory over the New York Jets in Sunday’s AFC championship game at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

Tomlin, who was a three-year starter at wide receiver at William & Mary from 1990-94, finished his career with 101 receptions for 2,046 yards and 20 touchdown catches, fourth-most in school history.

Tomlin still holds the school record for yards per catch, both single-season and career. In 1992, he averaged 25.5 yards per catch; for his career, he averaged 20.1 yards.

Sunday’s victory enabled Tomlin, 38, to become the first coach in NFL history to take two teams to the Super Bowl prior to his 40th birthday. And he joined former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs as the only two coaches to take two teams to Super Bowls in their first four years on the job.

After losing the first postseason game of his career, Tomlin has now won five in a row. Should the Steelers defeat the Packers, Tomlin will join the following as coaches with multiple Super Bowl titles:

Chuck Noll (Pittsburgh): 4

Bill Walsh (San Francisco): 3

Joe Gibbs (Washington): 3

Bill Belichick (New England): 3

Tom Flores (Raiders): 2

Vince Lombardi (Green Bay): 2

Don Shula (Miami): 2

Bill Parcells (Giants): 2

Jimmy Johnson (Dallas): 2

Tom Landry (Dallas): 2

George Seifert (San Francisco): 2

Mike Shanahan (Denver): 2