Some teams voluntarily give up OTA practice sessions at this time of year, a trend that’s becoming increasingly common. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Mike Tomlin sets the tone for every practice, voluntary or otherwise, as if it’s the most important day on the calendar. Because that day is today.
“Just hearing Coach Mike T give his speeches each and every morning, it feels like I’m gearing up for a game”, veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson, in his first year with the Steelers, said on the All Things Covered podcast that he hosts with his cousin, Bryant McFadden.
“We’re just getting ready for practice in May. We’re just getting ready for a simple OTA practice”, he said, “and just to feel that energy and feel that vibe, it’s special, because every meeting, he starts off, ‘Great morning’. It’s not a good morning. It’s a great morning”.
Tomlin’s oratory chops have never been in question. He’s long been regarded as a player’s coach, and we’ve probably heard from every veteran free agent signed this offseason about how part of the reason they signed was because they wanted to play for him. The money didn’t hurt, of course.
But while there are many criticisms of him, valid and otherwise, few have questioned his ability to motivate. Now Peterson, who has a dozen years in the NFL in his rearview mirror, is experiencing that firsthand.
“He’ll go into his spiel and give us the why we need to attack today. After he gives his spiel, I’m like, ‘God damnit, I’m freaking ready to roll’”, he said. “That’s a mindset, and what Coach is doing is building a mindset and a mentality right now, and I love it”.
It’s notable that he also talked about having only experienced a similar feeling when playing under Bruce Arians while with the Arizona Cardinals. Arians was Tomlin’s offensive coordinator for a number of years, and Peterson cited a number of Tomlinisms that he would recall hearing from Arians. Now he’s making sure to write them all down.
The thing is, it seems to be more than just talk. Peterson also said that the first two weeks of OTAs in Pittsburgh have felt more like a training camp environment in comparison to his stints with the Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings—and remember, he’s been through this 12 times before.
I’m sure a Tomlin training camp in full-contact drills will be another eye-opener for one of the men in the league who has seen and done close to everything at this point in their careers. The only problem is that, of course, good, intense practices don’t automatically translate to wins.
And the reality is that fans don’t really care how a team practices, unless they’re at training camp. What they care about is how they perform when the score matters. Lots of other teams, including more successful teams, have less intense practices, perhaps fewer, less motivating speeches, even forfeiting practices altogether. Good practices are only valuable insofar as they contribute to wins that matter.
