There are a plethora of words to describe Mike Tomlin. Motivator. Authoritative. Unflappable. Principled. Charismatic. Strategic. Commanding. Astute. Resolute. Polarizing.
No matter what word you want to
use to describe him, or how you felt about how his teams performed over the last number of years, Tomlin has cemented a legacy in Pittsburgh that few coaches in any sport have been lucky enough to build.
He was the head coach of the Steelers for 19 seasons, which is the seventh-longest reign for a coach with one team in NFL history. His 193 wins are tied for ninth all-time with fellow Steelers legend Chuck Noll, accomplishing the feat in 33 fewer games.
Mike Tomlin took over as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007 after Bill Cowher retired following a 15-year run. Immediately, he found success, winning his first of eight AFC North division championships in his first season under the headset. In Year Two, he led the Steelers to a Super Bowl XLIII win over the Arizona Cardinals, marking the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl victory. Two seasons later, he led Pittsburgh to an appearance in Super Bowl XLV, where they fell short to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. He would go on to appear in one more AFC Championship Game in 2016 and end his tenure by winning the AFC North for the eighth time.
I was in third grade when Tomlin became the head coach. I’m now 27 years old and have gone from growing up a fan of the team to covering it as a livelihood, and Tomlin has indirectly been a big part of my life for the last 19 years. I remember sitting in my living room as a fourth grader watching the Steelers beat the Cardinals. My dad wouldn’t watch it in the same room as the rest of my family because he got too animated. The playoff win over the Dolphins where Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown put on a show, and Bud Dupree almost committed actual, factual homicide on Matt Moore is one of the most fun times I’ve had watching a playoff game in my life. Getting the Steelers to the cusp of a playoff berth with Duck Hodges and Mason Rudolph provided fans with an exciting season after Ben Roethlisberger. The 11-0 start during the COVID season brought a lot of joy to me and fans everywhere during a time of uncertainty in the world. And the final win of his Steelers career over the Ravens is some of the most joy I’ve felt as a fan in a long while.
I’ve been largely cynical about Tomlin over the last half-decade. Too many times it has felt like the game has passed him by, and the lack of playoff wins is worthy of the heavy criticism it gets. And while I grew tired of the never-ending cycle of playoff losses and being told that Steelers fans should be grateful for the 10-7 seasons and immediate wild card losses, that doesn’t mean that I have any disdain for Mike Tomlin the person, nor does it mean he never brought me any joy. Because I don’t, and he did. And I’m sure wherever he goes next, he will right a ship that needs a good captain, and I hope he does. So, salute to Mike Tomlin and everything that he has accomplished over the last two decades.
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