Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin continues to make history amidst fans calling for his job every season. All he’s done is win as head coach of the Black & Yellow and Monday night’s 26-14 victory over the Cleveland Browns kept the team’s slim playoff chances alive heading into Week 18. It also gave Tomlin an NFL-record 15th consecutive season without a losing record.
Top 5 Black NFL Coaches/Coordinators | Mike Tomlin Continues To Be The Standard
This man is the epitome of consistency, quality and excellence at the head coaching position.
Virginia breeds Greats 🐐 #MikeTomlin pic.twitter.com/ea98XuNPdb
— GlasxxTv (@GlasxxTv) January 4, 2022
Tomlin’s career record of 153-85-2 ranks 20th all-time (winning percentage of 64%). He’s also 8-8 in the postseason with two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Sunday win to his credit.
Mike Tomlin has been the definition of consistency in Pittsburgh 👏 pic.twitter.com/pwPboXUbA8
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 4, 2022
Tomlin Learned From The Former GOAT Tony Dungy
With his unprecedented 15-year run Tomlin has ascended to the top of the mountain as it pertains to Black head coaches in the NFL. That spot was once held by Tony Dungy, Tomlin’s mentor who gave him his first NFL job in 2001, at age 29. Dungy says it took him all of fifteen minutes to realize how special Tomlin was.
During an interview on the “Pat McAfee Show” in 2020, Dungy had high praise for his former assistant.
“He was 29 years old when I interviewed him. It took me 15 minutes to figure out this young man had something special. He’s been that way. I’m not sure why he doesn’t get a little more credit.”
"Mike Tomlin is an excellent coach. He was 29 years old when I interviewed him. It took me 15 minutes to figure out this young man has something special…
I'm really not sure why he doesn't get more credit"@TonyDungy on the @Steelers & Mike Tomlin #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/Ht8uXyIkX7
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 21, 2020
It was Tomlin’s Buccaneers secondary that picked off reigning NFL MVP Rich Gannon five times in Super Bowl XXXVII as the Bucs throttled the Raiders 48-21. Safety Dexter Jackson was named Super Bowl MVP.
Tomlin Has Always Been Called A Player’s Coach: But Don’t Get It Twisted He’s Stern
Tomlin has never been one to call plays, but he delegates and is an integral part of creating the game plan in all three phases of the team; offense, defense and special teams.
We have signed Coach Mike Tomlin to a three-year contract extension.
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 20, 2021
Dungy also raved about the work ethic of Tomlin. How he’s a film addict and spends hours analyzing film to gain an advantage and learn more about his players.
“He’s into watching tape. He loves it. And he loves his players. And they feel that. They feed off that. Those guys want to play for him. When you have that, you’re going to be successful. And Pittsburgh has a culture. They’ve got a culture where they aren’t gonna panic. They’re going to work on things in-house. They’re going to get things solved. They had a couple guys who were problematic. Le’Veon Bell was problematic. Antonio Brown was problematic. As good of players as they are, they aren’t there anymore. And sometimes you have to to do that.”
What Tomlin was able to do with Bell and Brown in wake of what has transpired with both since their departure is nothing short of amazing. He doesn’t get enough credit for how he handled those two uber-talented but mercurial pains in the butt. A true sign of a great coach. In fact the greatest Black coach the league has ever witnessed.
Steelers Have Had Three Coaches Since 1969: Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Tomlin.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has now clinched his 15th straight season without a losing record.
That's the most consecutive seasons to begin a career by any head coach in NFL history.
In a league of parity and constant coaching turnover, Tomlin's consistency is incredible. pic.twitter.com/qDazhhJoM8
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 4, 2022
Things haven’t been perfect in Tomlin’s tenure. There have been some seasons that challenged his resolve and had spoiled Steelers fans calling for his dismissal. However, the Rooney family knows that Tomlin’s predecessors Cowher and Noll also experienced some setbacks along the road to championship rings.
The Rooney family is huge on stability, as evidenced by the three head coaches in 53 seasons. What Tomlin has done is a credit to his hard work and dedication to the craft. In a league that really stands for “Not For Long,” especially at pertains to Black coaches, he’s stood the test of time.
He’s an anomaly like no other, and that’s the shame and glory of his stature in the league. Adapting and maneuvering with the changes of the game, but always still being Mike Tomlin, a guy who operates with morals, decency and class, on and off the gridiron.
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