Whether it’s Antonio Brown to George Pickens or some other (likely) wide receiver, Mike Tomlin’s had to manage plenty of big personalities. Some coaches couldn’t handle that. But part of what’s allowed Tomlin to stay in Pittsburgh for 17 seasons (and likely many more) under the umbrella of stability is his ability to handle people. Head coaches don’t succeed solely because of their football knowledge. That’s a coordinator’s job. A head coach handles everyone from the starting quarterback all the way down to support staff.
In a one-on-one interview with ESPN’s Michelle Beisner-Buck that aired prior to Saturday’s kickoff, Tomlin was asked how he deals with the ‘Type A’ people on his team.
“I’d much rather say ‘whoa’ than ‘sic ’em,” Tomlin said. “Strong personalities doesn’t scare me. I realize dynamic people, talented people often come wrapped in that package. I appreciate strong personalities. My mother is a strong personality. I’m a strong personality. It’s normalcy for me.”
Antonio Brown is the most famous, or infamous, example. While things ultimately ended poorly in Pittsburgh, as they did everywhere else for Brown, Tomlin received credit for managing Brown as long as he did. And when Brown’s situation got out of control, the Steelers quickly traded him away in a steal of a deal with the Raiders.
More subdued was Le’Veon Bell’s contract holdout, a fraction of the drama Brown created but a major storyline for two seasons. During Bell’s holdout year, Tomlin handled the situation well, keeping the focus on those who are here, adopting his “volunteers, not hostages” line, and turning RB James Conner into a Pro Bowler.
This season, there’s been George Pickens. In the headlines for all the right and wrong reasons, he’s gone from the ire of Steelers’ Nation to someone who had a great final three games of the season, a big part of Pittsburgh’s offensive turnaround with QB Mason Rudolph at the helm. The big plays were important but Saturday’s finale was arguably more telling. Despite zero catches and zero targets, Pickens was engaged throughout, helping block, celebrate, and showed no visible frustration that’s become common when he hasn’t gotten the ball.
As Tomlin’s been quick to note, developing Pickens as a player and person is a continual process, there will be highs and lows throughout his career, but he’s trending in the right direction.
If there’s one thing Tomlin does as well as any coach in football, it’s manage people. A 53-man roster, plus practice squad, and an entire coaching staff. You get all kinds, all types of personalities. And you have to tailor yourself to what each guy needs. Pittsburgh has their benchmarks on the people they bring into the locker room, those with serious character concerns or legal issues are not welcomed, and Tomlin believes he can handle the rest. He’s never backed down from the challenge. And probably never will.
