Mike Tomlin should be calling games, not working in a studio

Mike Tomlin apparently intends to make a detour to television, at least for 2026. If that's where he lands, here's hoping that the destination is a stadium, not a studio.

Conventional wisdom is that Tomlin will end up with Fox. And while it would be entertainingly awkward (or awkwardly entertaining) to see Tomlin and Terry Bradshaw share a desk, it makes far more sense to utilize Tomlin's talents as an analyst at games.

He has compiled over the years an impressive array of sound bites and one-liners, some of which he seemingly comes up with on the fly. He speaks directly, with authority and conviction. His passion for the game oozes from everything he says and does.

Tomlin would seemingly be perfect for the short slivers of time between plays, when a point needs to be made quickly and clearly, ideally without jargon.

Really, what are the analysts who insist on using "real football" terms trying to prove? We get it. You know the game. If you really knew the game, you'd be able to explain it to people who aren't coaches or players without making them feel alienated by the apparent or actual complexities. Like John Madden did.

Tomlin could be a revelation as a game analyst. Like Madden. Like early Tony Romo (who, frankly, wasn't much different than current Tony Romo, despite the prevailing current attitude toward him).

Tomlin could be so good as a game analyst that he may not want to go back to coaching. Especially once he realizes that it can pay pretty well, and that there is no scoreboard.

Here's the problem. The best analyst seats are occupied. And while it's the prerogative of any network to write the check for a buyout and pivot to Tomlin, most networks won't want to pay two No. 1 analysts at the same time.

Still, one of the networks may decide it's worth it. Probably not Fox, given the long-term commitment made to Tom Brady. The most obvious candidate would be, frankly, Prime Video. Kirk Herbstreit is a college football analyst, whose commentary during pro games routinely reminds those who follow the NFL on a daily basis that, frankly, he does not.

Then there's the reality that the Sunday morning/early afternoon pregame shows aren't nearly as valuable and relevant as they were in the days before anyone could get information about any game, at any time. The NFL Today was appointment viewing in the 1970s because there was no other avenue for getting up to speed about the games to come. Now, football fans have everything they need, long before the sun rises on Sunday morning.

Anyone who loves watching football on TV would benefit from having Tomlin on the call of the biggest and best games. But, alas, I don't make those decisions. And that's something for which the shareholders of every corporation that owns and operates a TV network should be very grateful.