Add another box to the bingo card for Mike Tomlin-isms.
Appearing on The Pivot Podcast Tuesday with hosts Channing Crowder, Ryan Clark and Fred Taylor, Tomlin discussed a number of things regarding his career, his mentality as a coach, his duty to protect his players, and the excitement that lies ahead within the 2022 season without veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger under center.
That last point led to one of his better Tomlinisms in recent memory, comparing the Steelers’ standard to a popular food chain item.
Reading that, many are probably thinking “What in the world?” I get that, but explaining it further, it should make more sense.
Really, it was so good from Tomlin.
Ahead of the 2022 season, Tomlin is aiming to uphold the Steelers’ standard even in a year filled with change, aiming to be the tried and true form that is the No. 1 Big Mac on the McDonald’s food menu anywhere in the world.
“First of all, I’m looking forward to the anxiety associated with that uncertainty. With having to stand and deliver,” Tomlin said to Crowder, Clark and Taylor, according to video via The Pivot Podcast’s official YouTube page. “To live out what we believe in, The Standard is the Standard. And so, yeah, it’s like McDonald’s, right? You know where the number one is, right? It don’t matter where you go, what corner of the globe, a number one is a number one and that’s what I want Pittsburgh Steeler football to be.
“And so it doesn’t matter who putting their hands underneath the center, as far as I’m concerned. But… all that cool stuff being said, you know, scary, but exciting.”
How about that? Steelers football being as consistent as the No. 1 meal at McDonald’s. What a world.
In all seriousness, there’s a real point there from Tomlin. When ordering a No. 1, which happens to be a Big Mac at McDonald’s, you know what you’re getting, simply because it’s been tested over and over and over again, and delivered on that promise time and time again.
Ironically, that Big Mac was introduced in the Greater Pittsburgh area in 1967 by McDonald’s before going nationwide in 1968. Now, it’s global. That sure sounds a lot like the Steelers’ brand, no?
That’s what Tomlin is aiming for year after year with the Steelers — that being a steady, consistently competitive franchise with championship aspirations regardless of who is or isn’t on the roster.
Having a coach with that type of outlook at the top of the roster will only cause a trickle-down affect beneath him. No matter who is or isn’t there, the standard certainly is the standard in Pittsburgh. Hopefully it’s as good as the Big Mac has always been.
