MIAMI (AP) — Erik Spoelstra is now No. 1. And the Miami Heat coach isn’t thrilled by that development.
The end of Mike Tomlin’s 19-year tenure as coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday meant Spoelstra — who has coached the Miami Heat since 2008 — is now the longest-serving among active coaches in the four biggest U.S. major sports leagues.
“That really bummed me out,” Spoelstra said Tuesday.
Spoelstra became the NBA coach with the longest active tenure when San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich retired last year. And at that time, among those who manage in Major League Baseball or are head coaches in the NFL, NBA or NHL only Tomlin had been in his role longer than Spoelstra.
“My video room has sent me interview clips of coach Tomlin for years,” Spoelstra said before Miami’s game against the Phoenix Suns. “I just love everything he’s about. He’s a coach’s coach, super motivational in how he articulates his thoughts.”
Kansas City’s Andy Reid, who has been with the Chiefs since 2013, is now the coach with the longest active tenure in the NFL. Tampa has the distinction of having the longest-serving in hockey and baseball: The Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jon Cooper was hired in 2013, and the Tampa Bay Rays’ Kevin Cash was hired to manage in 2014.
Spoelstra also expressed some dismay that John Harbaugh’s time with the Baltimore Ravens ended this season as well; Harbaugh was let go after 18 seasons there. Spoelstra said some of his biggest periods of growth as a coach have come after disappointing seasons, and wished that other teams had the Heat approach — where stability is valued.
“I wish I wasn’t the longest tenured,” Spoelstra said. “Some people could look at that as a badge of honor. I look at that as really a disappointment to this profession, that there’s not more coaches that are given an opportunity to work through things.”