Mike Tomlin has a way with players to say the least. He’s known as a player’s coach and finds a way to connect with players that most coaches just aren’t able to do. Even this offseason, Pittsburgh’s top free agent target, Aaron Rodgers, credited Tomlin for being a major reason why he signed with the Steelers. However, according to long snapper Christian Kuntz, Tomlin isn’t always buddy-buddy with his players.
“Everything that’s said in the public, and the way he acts, is truly the way he acts in the locker room in front of us,” Kuntz said Thursday on the Kaboly + Mack podcast. “Motivating, you know, he’s gonna get it out of you. People call him a player’s coach, and yeah, obviously he’s a player’s coach, ’cause you see how many guys want to come play with him. A player’s coach, yes, but he’s gonna get on your ass. He is gonna let you know about every single finer detail; he is going to call you out. If you’re not doing your job, you’re being held accountable.”
“People that want to say, ‘Oh, he’s too friendly with the players.’ Like what does that even mean? He’s ruthless. He’s literally ruthless.”
As Kuntz says, many players want to suit up for Mike Tomlin. Beyond the allure of the Steelers being one of the most historic franchises in the league, the opportunity to play for Tomlin is exciting to a lot of players. Players mention him during their draft process as a coach they grew up watching and always wanting to play for. Veterans with two decades of experience, like Aaron Rodgers, feel a similar way.
The way Tomlin’s coaching resonates with his players is one of the reasons the Steelers have managed to overachieve recently. It’s hard to use the word overachieve in regard to a team that can’t win in the playoffs. However, Tomlin simply has not had a quarterback for some years now. Whether you view that as his fault or not is up to you. But he’s managing to claw his way into the playoffs almost every year anyway.
Now, Tomlin will hope Aaron Rodgers can be that answer. But it hasn’t all been peaches and cream. After the 2024 season, reports surfaced that Russell Wilson and the coaching staff, most notably Arthur Smith, had some disagreements. Tomlin’s also dealt with some high-maintenance personalities recently, including George Pickens. Steering clear of those problems in 2025 might be Tomlin’s most important task.
Given the Steelers’ recent lack of playoff success, many debate whether Mike Tomlin’s message might be getting stale. Based on Kuntz’s words here, it doesn’t seem like it. The players still seem to rally behind their coach. That continues a theme that’s been going on in Pittsburgh for two decades now.
