Mike Tomlin, the recently hired analyst for NBC's "Football Night in America," faced immediate criticism from viewers during his debut on Wednesday night. Just minutes into his first broadcast, Tomlin misstated the initials of Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, referring to him as "JNS" instead of the commonly used "JSN." The error prompted a correction from host Maria Taylor and drew a swift reaction on social media, with some fans calling for Tomlin's dismissal from his new role.
Tomlin, who stepped down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers in January after 19 seasons, was announced as the lead analyst for NBC's flagship pregame show earlier this year. His first game assignment was the Super Bowl rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. During a discussion of the Seahawks' offense and the impact of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, Tomlin made the on-air mistake.
Viewers quickly took to social media to voice their displeasure. Comments included "Mike Tomlin just called JSN, JNS. Fire him from NBC," and "Pretty bad when you can't even get the acronym right." Some critics linked the error to his coaching career, with one user posting, "Same lack of attention to detail as when he coached." Another viewer commented, "Mike Tomlin keep calling JSN "JNS" dude ain't do enough research to be on the podium as an analyst yet."
Taylor interrupted Tomlin to correct the pronunciation, saying, "JSN, I'm not going to let you do it again. You said JNS. This is the thing. Coaches are always talking numbers. They're not having to say names all the time. I've got you coach." Tomlin was joined on the broadcast by host Maria Taylor, former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, and Devin McCourty.
Tomlin concluded his long tenure with the Steelers in January, following a playoff exit. He never had a losing season during his time in Pittsburgh but the team had not won a postseason game since 2016. He was replaced as head coach by Mike McCarthy. Tomlin signed with veteran sports media agent Sandy Montag's agency, which represents a number of prominent sports broadcasters.