One thing you can say for sure about Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is that he takes care of his players. That was evident yesterday as he hosted at least two of his players for Thanksgiving dinner, in rookie OT Broderick Jones and second-year WR George Pickens. Tomlin posted a picture of the two former Georgia Bulldogs on his Instagram story with his daughter, Harley, a Georgia gymnastics commit.
The Steelers organization is one that cares about players more than just what they do on the field, and that’s especially true with Tomlin. RB Najee Harris has talked about how much time he spends at Tomlin’s house, and Tomlin is going to go out of his way to make sure his players are comfortable.
With Jones growing up in Georgia and Pickens in Alabama, the two likely didn’t have family nearby for Thanksgiving dinner. With the Steelers practicing today ahead of their matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, going home wasn’t feasible, so Tomlin invited them into his home.
That’s the sort of stuff a good leader does. Pickens being in attendance is also good to see after his social media activity earlier this season, and Tomlin’s response about it being a non-issue is proving to be true as Pickens is all smiles posing for a picture inside Tomlin’s house.
It’s not known if more Steelers players were in attendance, although ones who have homes and live near Pittsburgh likely chose to celebrate with their own families. Tomlin’s ability to connect with players and the way he treats them is one of the reasons why he’s the coach that players most want to play for around the league. Not every coach would open up his home to his players on Thanksgiving, but that’s what makes Tomlin different.
He’s helped continue building a true family environment in Pittsburgh, with former players and alumni constantly coming by the facility and staying involved with the team. He extends his relationship with his players off the field, and he’s a guy who’s truly loved and respected in Pittsburgh’s locker room.
With Thanksgiving now over, Tomlin and the Steelers will turn their attention to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Pittsburgh will look to avoid losing its second straight game with a win over its AFC North rivals and QB Jake Browning, who will be making his first NFL start.
