After another late-season collapse and first-round playoff exit, it seems like every Pittsburgh Steelers fan has joined the “Fire Tomlin” crowd. Unfortunately for those angry fans, it appears that the Steelers are keeping Tomlin around for the 2025 season, even if other coaching staff changes are likely.
While fans and the NFL media are questioning Tomlin’s effectiveness as a head coach for the Steelers after 18 seasons, it’s clear that players throughout the league still love him as much as ever.
Davante Adams, a future Hall of Famer currently with the New York Jets, appeared on the “Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams” on Tuesday morning, and Kay Adams asked the 32 year-old wide receiver if he would play for Mike Tomlin.
“One hundred percent, I love Mike,” Adams said. “Anytime you have a coach that’s a players coach and you can tell that they’ve got a way with their guys…those types of coaches they always win me over. I’ve had nothing but respect for him and it’s been mutual.”
In case you forgot after all the late-season drama surrounding the Steelers, Pittsburgh aggressively pursued Adams in October after he requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders. General Manager Omar Khan was seeking another star receiver to pair with George Pickens, and once any deal with San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk fell through, Adams rose to the top of the list of potential trade acquisitions. Ultimately, Adams chose the New York Jets to reunite with his best friend and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and the Steelers ended up grabbing a less flashy (albeit cheaper) receiver in Mike Williams from the Jets.
It’s fun to imagine what could’ve been with George Pickens and Davante Adams in this Steelers offense, and the nightmares they’d have posed for opposing secondaries and defensive coordinators. While there’s a strong chance Adams leaves the Jets this offseason, the Steelers are a long-shot because they have other positions to pay on offense, including quarterback and running back.They also have a decision to make about George Pickens, who’s entering the final year of his rookie contract and could command around $30 million per year if the team decides to extend him.
It’s unlikely Adams fulfills his hopes of playing for Tomlin, so long as the latter is coaching the Steelers.
Later in the conversation with Kay Adams, Davante Adams shared a brief story that encapsulates the mutual respect between himself and Tomlin.
“He talked to me during some games,” Adams said. “I remember last year, 2023, they came to our place in Vegas. I think Joey Porter Jr. had made a play on the sidelines on me, and he got up barking, and screaming and hollering in my face a little bit, and I just kind of looked at him.
“And then I looked over at Mike Tomlin and he comes running over to me and he’s like, ‘He’s young, he’s young. Just let him live.’ So, just having somebody that’s like, ‘Look, my guy made a play and he was a little out of line,’ but just to be personable enough to joke with me in that moment about that, says a lot about him. Obviously a great coach, but he’s a hell of a dude too.”
Here’s the play that Adams was referencing, unfortunately cut off before the Tomlin interaction.
Steelers players are backing Mike Tomlin too amidst the backlash from the fans and media, with Pat Freiermuth recently praising his leadership.
Players love Tomlin and his iconic sayings, swagger, jokes, and heart-to-heart talks. That doesn’t excuse or dismiss the team’s lack of playoff success. But all point to why he’s remaining the Steelers’ head coach, a person who hasn’t lost his locker room or the respect of those around the league.
