One of Mike Tomlin’s most relied-upon verbal responses to questions is that he “doesn’t seek comfort.”
Not even when that comfort comes in the form of admiration from others.
During an appearance on “The Pivot” podcast and YouTube video show that was released Tuesday, Tomlin dropped that familiar “Tomlin-ism” when he was asked by co-host Channing Crowder if Tomlin could recognize his own greatness as an NFL head coach.
“I ain’t seeking that comfort,” Tomlin said during his 90-minute interview by Crowder and fellow ex-NFL players Fred Taylor and Ryan Clark.
Clark, a free safety, spent six of his 13 NFL seasons playing for Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers. It was during those years (2007-12) – the first six of Tomlin’s 16-years-and-counting tenure as the Steelers’ boss – that Tomlin was part of two Super Bowl appearances and the win at the end of the 2008 season.
Clark guided a wide-ranging discussion with Tomlin that was speaking of Tomlin’s leadership skills and how he is handling coaching a team that lost its longtime starting quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger) to retirement in 2022.
“There will be some new leadership here,” Tomlin said, “some of it you can anticipate like (defensive captain Cameron Heyward), but make no mistake: we are not sitting around hoping any of it happens, we are thoughtfully constructing it.”
That answered wowed Crowder and compelled him to ask Tomlin if he “recognized (his) greatness.”
“That doesn’t help me be great,” Tomlin answered.
“But you can’t recognize it?” asked Crowder.
“I resist it,” countered Tomlin.
Crowder pushed back, asking why.
“Because it doesn’t help me; it doesn’t help me meet today’s challenges. How does it help me meet today’s challenges?”
Tomlin said he doesn’t need to recognize his own aptitude or accomplishments. Then, while smiling, he said he’d instead prefer that Steelers president Art Rooney II does.
“I want Art to recognize it, so he pays me,” Tomlin said, drawing laughs from the hosts. “If he does, and he pays me appropriately (Tomlin is happy). We’ve got a great relationship. It’s an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.”
The hour-and-a-half podcast also featured a peek into Tomlin’s relationship with mercurial former Steelers star receiver Antonio Brown. Tomlin was hesitant to criticize Brown, who had one of the greatest careers for an offensive player in Steelers’ history – even if it ended in infamous fashion that has stalled his NFL career even since.
“We had nine great years,” Tomlin said. “With success comes a lot of things. Some we deal with well, some we don’t.”
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