Over 19 NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, former head coach Mike Tomlin became a fixture in the Steel City. His wife, Kiya Tomlin, was right there with him.
More than just the wife of a Super Bowl winning coach, Kiya forged her own path, pivoting in college from pursuing a career in medicine to becoming a prominent fashion designer.
Kiya and Mike met while they were both student-athletes at the College of William & Mary thanks to injuries to each that forced them into the training room at the same time.
She followed Mike after graduation when he became a graduate assistant for the University of Memphis football team and they married soon after in 1996. Since then, Kiya and Mike have moved together through the college and pro football ranks.
Mike’s time with the Steelers came to an end after the 2025 season, but there’s no reason to think Kiya is going to let that stop her burgeoning professional career. Keep scrolling for everything to know about her.
Kiya Tomlin Is an Accomplished Designer
Kiya and Mike Tomlin Courtesy of Mike Tomlin/Instagram
Kiya launched the Kiya Tomlin fashion brand in 2014 with an emphasis on blending stylish looks with practical and versatile clothing for women. She expanded the business in 2018 by launching the Kiya Tomlin Work/Shop in Etna, bringing the manufacturing and sales arms of her business under one roof.
“In my heart I felt if I could design, manufacture and sell in one place, that would be a dream,” Kiya told William & Mary’s alumni magazine in a 2019 interview. “That seemed like success.”
Years later, her Instagram account, which boasts more than 34,000 followers, serves as a catalog of everything she has accomplished in fashion — and it’s a lot.
Kiya Tomlin Has Done Collaborations With the Steelers and NFL
As one of the off-field faces of the Steelers, it should be no surprise that Kiya has worked with the storied franchise on a number of collaborations in the past.
She has also worked directly with the NFL, launching the Kiya Tomlin x NFL Collection in 2025, designing officially licensed NFL gear “for the fearless, independent, and passionate” fans, according to her Instagram.
Kiya launched the Kiya Tomlin x Coach T Collection at the same time, designed for men and women.
“Crafted for those who lead with confidence, on and off the field,” she wrote via Instagram. “These tees embody strength, versatility, and effortless style, designed for both men and women who command every moment.”
A Chance Meeting With Diana Ross Changed Kiya Tomlin’s Life
While away at gymnastics camp in the summer of 1982, Kiya made a new friend, having no idea that she was the daughter of the Queen of Motown, Diana Ross. That was, until Diana paid her daughter a visit.
“She was wearing a voluminous, head-to-toe white silk chiffon outfit that was billowing in the breeze, along with an enormous halo of hair,” Kiya told the W&M alumni magazine. “When she saw us, she came down to the grass level and sat directly on the grass with us — in all that white silk chiffon. I immediately recognized that it was Diana Ross.”
She continued, “The entire scene still replays like a slow motion dream to me … the vision of elegance, drape of the fabric and the ease of her sitting with us defines my brand concept to this day.”
Seeing how Diana was able to be comfortable and confident in her style fed her interest in fashion and eventually grew into her brand.
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Kiya Tomlin Was a Division I Gymnast
While Mike was a wide receiver on the Tribe’s football team, Kiya was a gymnast who excelled on the uneven bars. A New Jersey native, Kiya had never heard of William & Mary before her college search began, but soon recognized the college gave her a chance to pursue her dreams.
“I was offered an athletics and academic scholarship,” she told W&M. “Those scholarships made it possible for me to attend William & Mary as an out-of-state student.”
Mike and Kiya Tomlin Share 3 Kids
Mike and Kiya Tomlin with their family Courtesy of Mike Tomlin/Instagram
Mike and Kiya have welcomed three kids, all of whom share their parents athletic prowess. Their son, Dino, played football at Boston College and son Mason played at Columbia University. Their daughter, Harley, is on the gymnastics team at the University of Georgia.
