While NFL head coaches typically use late-week team meetings to finalize call sheets and review situational assignments, former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin turned Fridays into an arena for psychological warfare.
On a recent episode of “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward,” veteran defensive tackle Cameron Heyward provided a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how Tomlin constructed his unique motivational speeches days before kickoff. Rather than waiting until game day, Tomlin spent the week slowly stirring competition and brewing tension within the locker room.
Heyward recalled a striking example from the 2020 season, when COVID-19 protocols forced team meetings into the indoor practice facility with players spread out in socially distanced
seating. Facing a pivotal divisional matchup to secure the AFC North, Tomlin projected individual matchups onto the facility’s massive jumbotron.
"He went through multiple players, and he would put up a player and then a player for them, and he’d say, 'These two guys cannot coexist,'" Heyward revealed. "He was true about it, too. You left that meeting being like, 'It's either me or him.'"
Tomlin highlighted key matchups, including edge rusher Alex Highsmith against his opposing offensive tackle and defensive tackle Keeanu Benton against opponent center Tyler Linderbaum. By framing individual battles as existential conflicts, Tomlin intentionally creates an edge that carries over into the weekend.
"He lets the anger, the testosterone build up all week," Heyward explained. "The hay is in the barn by the time you get to game day. He just knows how to find things."
Whether displaying classic physical highlights against the Ravens or challenging unproven players ahead of exhibition games, Tomlin uses historical context and personal motivation to sharpen his roster. For Steelers veterans, those Friday sessions serve as a reminder that every matchup is personal, and that on Sunday, only one player gets to exist.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers Cam Heyward details Mike Tomlin's wild psychological meetings
