Mike Tomlin is likely to be on a chilly streak relating to the playoffs, however it doesn’t seem to be he’s at risk of dropping his job. That’s principally due to the implausible resumé he’s put collectively. As a rookie head coach in 2007, there was a whole lot of uncertainty surrounding Tomlin. Nevertheless, he did lead the Steelers to a Tremendous Bowl victory in his second season with them. In response to former Steelers nook Bryant McFadden, it feels like that first season beneath Tomlin might need been a bit tough for the gamers.
“What he did, which was one thing a whole lot of the vets didn’t like, he tried to determine us out by working us further onerous,” McFadden mentioned Tuesday on Coached 2 Win with Christian Fauria. “I bear in mind, his first coaching camp, we had 20-straight days of two-a-days. Again once they have been actual two-a-days, once we have been thumping.
“He mentioned he did that as a result of he was attempting to determine this staff, seeing the blokes that may complain about working onerous, seeing the blokes that wouldn’t give their greatest effort play in and play out, and seeing the blokes that may stand it, can take it.”
It is smart that Tomlin, one of many youngest head coaches within the league, would need to gauge his gamers’ toughness. He had solely been within the NFL since 2001, with just one 12 months as a defensive coordinator beneath his belt. That first offseason with him in cost was a studying course of for everybody.
Whereas two-a-days are banned within the NFL now, again in 2007, they have been rather more frequent. Nevertheless, McFadden is appropriate that 20-straight practices like that may exhaust anybody. Meaning gamers doubtless had round 40 practices in 20 days. It isn’t stunning to listen to some veterans have been upset with Tomlin’s means of doing issues.
McFadden defined how these practices performed a job within the Steelers’ Wild Card Spherical loss to the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars in early January.
“After we misplaced within the playoffs in his first 12 months in 2007, actually, out fuel tank was empty. We have been like, ‘Thank goodness the season’s over,’ as a result of we ran out of fuel,” he mentioned. “We didn’t have something left. However when he lastly found out the mindset of the blokes, we made it proper again to a championship.”
Throughout Tomlin’s rookie 12 months, it did seem to be they have been operating on empty after going 10-6 and profitable the AFC North. They misplaced three of their last 4 video games after which couldn’t get again on monitor within the postseason. Listening to that may give some followers déjà vu.
Primarily based on what McFadden is saying, it feels like Tomlin was much less strict the next 12 months. He had a very good grasp on what the staff’s limits have been, and it led to a Tremendous Bowl victory. Regardless of how powerful that first 12 months was, it did assist the Steelers win a championship.
Toughness and physicality have been themes of Tomlin’s management since Day 1, for higher or worse. The collective bargaining settlement at the moment protects gamers a bit extra, however that hasn’t stopped Tomlin from pushing his gamers. Perhaps that’s a part of the rationale the Steelers have wilted close to the tip of the season over current years.
It doesn’t seem to be Tomlin’s strategies have alienated lots of his gamers, although. Nearly everybody that he’s coached has principally constructive issues to say about him, although he was onerous on them. That’s most likely attributable to all of the success he’s had. Issues haven’t been ok recently, however Tomlin has a historical past of profitable. Hopefully, he can begin doing that once more within the postseason.
