From Antonio Brown to George Pickens and everyone else in between, the Pittsburgh Steelers have dealt with a lot of strong personalities on the team.
Despite their antics, the team has been able to persevere through them, translating into winning seasons. The main contributor to keeping those players in line is head coach Mike Tomlin.
In an interview back during Super Bowl Media Day, Steelers special teams ace Miles Killebrew talked about Tomlin’s ability to rein in some of those personalities that others may not have dealt with.
“He’s very specific of what he demands from you on the field,” Killebrew told Bleav podcast host Tanja Anguay. “You start to see a lot of personalities pop up on the Steelers that maybe other teams wouldn’t deal with but that’s just because Coach Tomlin says, ‘Hey listen, I don’t care necessarily what type of person you want to be. I’m more concerned with what kind of man you’re going to be while you’re here, what kind of man you’re going to be to your family and are you contributing to us winning.’”
Tomlin’s been lauded over the years for his ability to connect with players, with several expressing their love for him as a leader, Killebrew included.
“He is the motivator of all motivators,” said Killebrew. “He gives you all of the resources to develop you as a man off the field, but he’s very specific on what he demands on the field. He wants you to be a professional at your craft.”
While Tomlin has juggled personalities on his team, historically when things turn less professional off the field, he has cut bait. Just look at the aforementioned Brown, a reported nuisance for years, but one who did so out of the public eye. Once things became more public, the Steelers cut ties.
Tomlin wants volunteers, not hostages, and thanks to his coaching style he has several of those. Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt both expressed that they wouldn’t want to play for anyone else besides the Steelers head man.
It’s Tomlin’s ability to lead men and cult-like following that allows him to manage the Pickens and Browns of the world in hopes of lifting the seventh Lombardi.
