Mike Tomlin to USC? Former NFL QB says Steelers HC is ideal candidate

Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a bye week and headed to face the Cleveland Browns this week. But that's not the biggest topic of conversation regarding the Steelers.

Former NFL quarterback Carson Palmer was on the Dan Patrick Show this week to speak about possible candidates for the USC head coaching job.

Palmer then shocked everyone when he mentioned that Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was being considered for the USC head coaching job.

Carson Palmer thinks that Mike Tomlin would be a good option for USC

Since USC parted ways with head football coach Clay Helton two weeks into the 2021 season, rumors have swirled about who will get the job next season.

Penn State's James Franklin, whose name is constantly mentioned for other head coaching jobs as well as Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer, has both been bounced around, although there aren't any credible facts that either would take the job.

Former NFL quarterback and USC alum Carson Palmer was on the Dan Patrick Show Tuesday morning to speak about candidates for the job. Palmer said he was part of the selection process.

When asked who the front runner is, Palmer would only say that there are several front runners because it was the first high-profile coaching job available.

He then named Mike Tomlin as a possibility. He said that if Tomlin wants out of Pittsburgh because of the potential retirement of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and if he doesn't want to 'start over' with a rookie, he could pursue the USC job.

Palmer then said that there won't be a real front runner until the end of the NFL season when it becomes clear who is playoff bound and where teams ended their season, record and roster wise.

When Patrick said that he thought it was interesting that Mike Tomlin's name was being mentioned, Palmer acted shocked and asked if that was the first he had heard of the Steelers head coach being a prospect.

Patrick said that it was the first time he had heard of it and then Palmer attempted to brush it off as if he hadn't dropped top secret information.

USC would have to contend with the stability of the Steelers' organization

Mike Tomlin was hired to be the Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach in 2007. Tomlin has never had a losing season during his tenure with the Steelers. He has had two trips to the Super Bowl, winning one.

Being the head coach for the Steelers is a job that many wish they could have but is rarely available. Tomlin is just the third head coach for the Steelers since 1969.

While Palmer seemed as if he shouldn't have talked about Tomlin, he did say 'if he wanted out.' Mike Tomlin hasn't indicated that he would want to leave a prestigious head coaching job like the Steelers, so fans will just have to wait until the end of the NFL season to see who gets chosen to coach at USC.