At a Glance
- Mike Tomlin steps down as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach on Jan. 13 after 19 seasons
- His wife Kiya Tomlin launched a fashion brand in 2014 that now includes licensed NFL apparel
- The couple met at William & Mary, married in May 1996, and raised three children
- Why it matters: The exit ends one of the NFL’s longest coaching tenures and spotlights the family partnership that shaped it
Mike Tomlin’s sudden departure from the Steelers sidelines closes a 19-year chapter defined by stability-and by the woman who has been beside him since college. The longtime head coach announced his resignation on Jan. 13, capping a tenure that began in 2007 and never posted a losing season. Off the field, the same stretch saw his wife Kiya Tomlin transform from football novice to fashion entrepreneur with a growing NFL apparel line.
From Gymnastics Injury to Lifelong Partnership
Kiya and Mike met in the 1990s at William & Mary, bonding in the training room while both rehabbed injuries-she from gymnastics, he from football. Kiya, a psychology major on an athletics and academic scholarship, accepted his proposal during her senior-year holiday season. They wed on May 25, 1996, two weeks after Kiya’s graduation.
The early years of marriage meant moves that tracked Mike’s coaching climb: Tennessee, Arkansas, Ohio, Cincinnati, Florida. Kiya shelved her own plan to become a surgeon the morning she was set to take the MCAT, realizing Mike’s coaching dream would demand long hours and constant relocation. “I never thought about it again,” she later said of medical school.
Building a Brand Between Games
In 2014 Kiya turned her lifelong passion for fashion into a business, launching a line anchored by the Signature Dress-a versatile piece inspired by Mike’s habit of wearing the same sweatpants to work. The label now counts more than 30,000 Instagram followers and a storefront in Etna, Pennsylvania. A 2021 licensing deal added official NFL apparel to the collection.
Mike has publicly cheered every milestone, posting in October 2024: “She never ceases to amaze me. ❤️” After Kiya’s designs hit the Steelers Style fashion-show fundraiser, he wrote: “Always love seeing what my incredibly talented wife…has put together…So proud of her.”
Sunday Sideline Education
Kiya admits she arrived at college knowing “nothing about football.” Her only prior exposure was clapping for Little League games without understanding the action. Immersion came fast once Mike’s career took off; she learned the sport by living it, attending games and absorbing the culture that shapes NFL Sundays.
That learning curve mirrors the adaptability the couple credits for surviving nearly three decades of coaching life-unpredictable schedules, cross-country relocations, and the scrutiny that follows a high-profile franchise.
Three Kids, Three Paths
The Tomlins’ children have carved distinct roads:
- Harley-gymnast at the University of Georgia, following her mother’s collegiate athletic path
- Dino-former Boston College football player, now a creative director
- Mayce-Columbia University graduate and musician; Mike gushed online after a 2024 performance, “I am one proud dad”
Each milestone, from graduations to games, has been documented on the family’s social feeds, underscoring the tight-knit unit that traveled the coaching carousel together.
Pittsburgh Since 2007
The Tomlins put down roots in Pittsburgh when the Steelers hired Mike as head coach in 2007. The city became headquarters for both family and business: Kiya’s design studio sits just across the Allegheny River from the team’s facility, allowing quick pivots between practices and production runs.
That proximity meant Kiya could attend most home games while still managing sample shipments and customer orders. The arrangement epitomized the work-life blend that has sustained their partnership.
What Comes Next
Neither Tomlin has detailed post-Steelers plans. Mike ends his run without a single losing season on record, a rarity in modern franchise history. Kiya’s fashion line, buoyed by NFL licensing, enters its second decade with a flagship store and steady online traffic.
For now, the couple is expected to remain in Pittsburgh, the city that became home for more than half their marriage. Whether Mike pursues broadcasting, consulting, or another coaching gig-and whether Kiya scales her brand beyond football apparel-remains to be seen within the information released.
Key Takeaways
- Mike Tomlin’s 19-season Steelers tenure ends with a reputation for consistency and zero losing records
- Kiya Tomlin leveraged life on the road to build a fashion business now licensed by the league her husband once coached in
- Their three children blend academics, athletics, and the arts-proof the family never let football define every identity
- From college injuries to NFL sidelines, the Tomlins credit mutual support for surviving-and thriving-inside a pressure-cooker profession
