Former NFL coach, hardcore Minecraft player Mike Tomlin, reveals the city he spent 12 years building

Former NFL coach Mike Tomlin spent 19 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and won Super Bowl LXIII, and now he’s adding another major accomplishment to his resume: becoming a Minecraft YouTuber.

The former manager gave football fans something different by launching his new YouTube channel earlier this week. With a profile photo taken in front of NBC’s Football Night in America logo, observers probably didn’t expect that Tomlin’s first upload would see him confessing how his love for architecture and family led him to work on a Minecraft city he spent 12 years building.

“You know, 12 or 13 years ago, when my kids were in middle school, they would stay in their room all weekend and have friends over. They were obsessed with this game, Minecraft, which I knew nothing about,” he explained as his son and channel operator, Dino, sat in the background. “I became interested because I was just fascinated by what could hold their attention for such long periods of time.”

He admitted that he lacked the “stick control” to handle something like Minecraft’s Survival mode, but he still managed to find enjoyment in Creative mode. This is where Mojang’s systems really started to work.

“I like to build,” he says. “I always had an interest in architecture and stuff, so I started creating this creative city. It was a way to spend time with them. They participated all over this city. All my kids have buildings.”

However, as his children went to high school and college, their interest in Minecraft waned. For Tomlin, it was just beginning. In 2026, after 12 years of construction, the sandbox phenomenon has become therapeutic for the former NFL coach, and what he has built has the Internet in disbelief.

“This is where it all started for me,” Tomlin said as a blocky blue pond surrounded by detailed city buildings disappeared. His tour then begins with a more in-depth tour of a hotel. This single building features a fully fleshed out interior with labeled rooms, lobby, ballroom, swimming pool, bathrooms and much more. Tomlin even considered how lighting might affect the view in some of these rooms – and that’s just one of many places he created.

“I’ve always been inspired,” he added. “I would go places and see things and buildings and get inspired and go home and work there.”

Tomlin then referenced the off-campus housing around universities that he recreated after dropping Dino off at college. Color, floor plans, and other memorable elements all come from these memories, with much of his creation also built around different bodies of water.

Tomlin stepped down as Steelers coach in January 2026, with today’s video showing how he has spent at least some of his downtime since. He spent years in the NFL, but it’s his work as a Minecraft YouTuber that has everyone talking today.

Mike Tomlin has been working on his Minecraft world for over a decade

It’s UNREAL pic.twitter.com/XWxu9zMinY

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 1, 2026

Aaron Rodgers: “CALL THE F*CKING PLAY!” »

Mike McCarthy: “Fucking asshole”

*Loses to the Cleveland Browns*

Meanwhile, Mike Tomlin: pic.twitter.com/axnE3655rT

— NFL Memes (@NFLMemes) October 2, 2026

The Steelers lost 20 points in a playoff game.

Mike Tomlin: pic.twitter.com/J4u56digNW

— Donny Football (@DonChed54) October 1, 2026

Mike Tomlin leaves the presser early to finish building the executive spa in his Minecraft world pic.twitter.com/yHF2FOzeiZ

— ant ☘️ (@anthshiesty) October 1, 2026

“I wonder why he’s really a better builder than me,” said content creator @Krtzyy.

“Mike Tomlin becoming a Minecraft YouTuber was not on my bingo card for 2026,” said one X/Twitter user.

Tomlin signed off, promising to take a closer look at his city in future videos. He also talked about wanting to show something that “I think you’re going to find interesting.” While he may be the most creative celebrity player of 2026, the former NFL coach isn’t the only notable name to share his love for the game over the past year. Obsession India Navarrette gained attention for his The Last of Us and Call of Duty streams a few months ago. New X-Men star Samara Weaving is also a great player.

Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer at IGN. He is best known for his work on sites like The Pitch, The Escapist and OnlySP. Be sure to follow him on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).