The Pittsburgh Steelers ended the 2024 season in the worst possible way. After controlling their own destiny in terms of both the playoffs and the division a month before the season ended, Pittsburgh lost their last four games of the regular season. Heading into the playoffs on a four-game skid can be a tough spot for a team to be in mentally. To combat that, Mike Tomlin tried to get creative ahead of Saturday’s matchup.
The most recent episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks released on Tuesday. Tomlin is featured in a meeting, showing his players some clips of the things they’d done well against the Baltimore Ravens in the past. Just before that, there’s a scene in which he’s in a defensive staff meeting, talking to his coaching staff.
“I think it’s good sometimes when you’re locking in on a performance, that you show them images of that,” Tomlin said, referring to his players. “The positive reinforcement. Showing them doing that. Sometimes we’re working so hard to push information at them, that we don’t show them enough images of themselves, and themselves doing it.”
The next scene is Tomlin addressing his players, stressing the need for them to create turnovers. He showed clips of Nick Herbig and Patrick Queen forcing fumbles in the first matchup between the two teams, a game Pittsburgh won 18-16. Tomlin also provides moments from the Steelers home win against Baltimore in 2023. Those including Joey Porter Jr.’s end zone interception, and George Pickens’ late touchdown.
In between clips, Tomlin tries to offer some encouragement.
“We don’t run around, or away from anything,” Tomlin said. “We run to the fight.”
It’s an interesting strategy from Tomlin, but it’s one that makes some sense. When you’re on a four-game losing streak, many things aren’t working, and the morale is down. While it obviously didn’t work, it’s a decent attempt.
In the videos Tomlin shows, he’s using the TV tape. That has the commentators’ reactions to the plays in the background. It’s an interesting choice, instead of the usual All-22 film, which has no sound. The reason for that might be that he wants his players to hear their name being called, and the announcer’s excitement from the play, as some sort of reassurance. That’s purely speculation, and Tomlin says nothing regarding that in the episode, to be clear. Still, it’s an interesting note.
Ultimately, the tactic failed as the Steelers’ four-game streak ended at five only stopping because of their playoff elimination.
