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Spoelstra Becomes Longest-Tenured Active U.S. Pro Coach After Tomlin Steps Down

He calls the label a sign of coaching churn that discourages long-term patience.

Overview

  • Mike Tomlin stepped down Tuesday after 19 seasons with the Steelers, reshaping tenure rankings across major U.S. leagues.
  • Erik Spoelstra, now in his 18th season since taking over the Miami Heat in 2008, leads all active coaches across the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB.
  • Spoelstra said Tomlin’s exit “really bummed me out” and argued that coaches are too rarely given time to work through difficult stretches.
  • Coverage also notes John Harbaugh was dismissed this season after 18 years with the Ravens, underscoring league-wide turnover.
  • The next-longest current runs include Andy Reid with the Chiefs and Jon Cooper with the Lightning, both since 2013, with Spoelstra five seasons ahead of Cooper.