Kevin Dotson spent his first three NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then, he experienced a major change of scenery after being traded to the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the 2023 season.
Making an adjustment from college to the NFL level is always hard. Dotson was appreciative of the help he received from his first NFL head coach in Mike Tomlin, though.
“It was good,” Dotson said of his time with Tomlin, via NFL Spotlight With Ari Meirov. “You kind of learn that sometimes negativity is needed. You can’t be coddled, you can’t be, you know, eased into a lot of situations. If they tell you to play some position, you gotta play it. They don’t really care if you’ve never played it before.”
Tomlin has received a lot of criticism lately. Despite some of the problems the Steelers have had in recent years, Tomlin’s done a great job keeping the locker room intact. It hasn’t paid off in the playoff success Pittsburgh has enjoyed in the past, but he isn’t being dealt the easiest of hands.
Tomlin’s ability to connect with his players has always been one of his strongest attributes as a coach. Kevin Dotson’s explanation is an example of the type of role model a young player would want after coming into the league. That coaching from Tomlin has left an impact on Dotson, as he explained.
“They paid you to do the job, and you gotta do the job,” Dotson said. “That’s something I’ve learned that kind of sticks with me now. ‘Cause I’m just like if I get into a situation, I gotta make it work, no matter what. And I think that really sticks with me.”
Kevin Dotson’s performance in Los Angeles shows the message really is sticking with him. While he had some solid moments in Pittsburgh, he’s been more consistent with Los Angeles, and is coming off an impressive 2024 season. The timing of the trade shocked Dotson as he told Meirov. It came just before the start of the 2023 season, with Dotson becoming expendable as a backup guard in Pittsburgh.
It’s not rare to hear one of Tomlin’s former players speak well about him, even after leaving Pittsburgh. Despite the shock of the trade, Dotson credits some of Tomlin’s teachings for helping him going forward. All in all, the trade might have been a blessing in disguise for the former Steeler. He’s earned a role as a starter and is a consistent piece on the Rams’ offensive line.
