Shout out another “elite” HC like Mike Tomlin

[GunnerBill]

On the actual topic here is my view in summary:

 

1. Mike Tomlin is a really good football coach;

 

2. Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers have overachieved in the last 4 or 5 years since Ben fell apart. To have made the postseason 3 of the last 4 years is a hell of a job under the circumstances;

 

3. Mike Tomlin can be legitimately be criticised for underachieving in the period between his Superbowl team in 2010 and Ben's arm falling off in 2018. They missed the playoffs twice in that period and lost playoff games to Flacco, Tebow and Bortles plus the ghost of Peyton Manning in the year he couldn't throw. This despite a top 5 QB, the best receiver in football, a good running game and some talent on defense;

 

4. I would never have called Tomlin as a great Xs and Os coach. He isn't even a great defensive mind despite coming from that side of the ball. His asset is his leadership and ability to build a competitive culture that brings the best out of his guys while letting them be themselves;

 

5. Mike Tomlin is arguably too good of a coach for where the Steelers currently are. They tried the "draft a QB in the middle of the 1st where we normally draft" approach and that hasn't worked. They need to bottom out somewhat to try and find a guy I think and I don't see a Tomlin side ever bottoming out;

 

6. If Mike Tomlin were to part company with the Steelers this week he would be employed within a fortnight as a HC elsewhere. 

 

10 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

Yeah, but Tomlin was never in a position to exert that type of authority over the draft. That's not how Pittsburgh operates.

 

I know I wasn't saying that as a direct comparison to Tomlin. 

 

4 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Neither will Rudolph.  

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they go after someone like Cousins if Minnesota lets him go.  Maybe Russ Wilson.  

 

Possibly not. But I don't think Pickett should be considered at this stage as the Steelers "starter"

Edited January 16 by GunnerBill

[Low Positive]

Why do we have to drag Tomlin through the mud here? He does make some questionable game-management decisions, but so do all NFL coaches. I think that Tomlin is an excellent coach from a "leader of men" standpoint. I was really impressed with the fight that the Steelers showed after falling behind 21-0. The Eagles, OTOH, gave up after falling behind 13-0 last night. Also, if you go back to the point in the season when the Steelers lost in Indianapolis and their season was basically over. Tomlin got them to keep fighting and they made the playoffs (with some help). That's good coaching from a leadership perspective. The same can be said about McDermott, but few on here want to acknowledge that.

[DrBob806]

10 hours ago, WhitewalkerInPhilly said:

 

 

The only way they are going to get over the hump is a franchise QB.

 

 

That's a front office choice.

 

I'd say that's the reality of all 32 teams, finding that QB. 

 

These front offices all do their "due diligence" yet many miss all the time. There's a little bit of luck involved in it.

 

There are more stories of missing on a high-pick QB than obtaining one, from just about every team with the exception perhaps of Green Bay. 

[FireChans]

7 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

On the actual topic here is my view in summary:

 

1. Mike Tomlin is a really good football coach;

 

2. Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers have overachieved in the last 4 or 5 years since Ben fell apart. To have made the postseason 3 of the last 4 years is a hell of a job under the circumstances;

 

3. Mike Tomlin can be legitimately be criticised for underachieving in the period between his Superbowl team in 2010 and Ben's arm falling off in 2018. They missed the playoffs twice in that period and lost playoff games to Flacco, Tebow and Bortles plus the ghost of Peyton Manning in the year he couldn't throw. This despite a top 5 QB, the best receiver in football, a good running game and some talent on defense;

 

4. I would never have called Tomlin as a great Xs and Os coach. He isn't even a great defensive mind despite coming from that side of the ball. His asset is his leadership and ability to build a competitive culture that brings the best out of his guys while letting them be themselves;

 

5. Mike Tomlin is arguably too good of a coach for where the Steelers currently are. They tried the "draft a QB in the middle of the 1st where we normally draft" approach and that hasn't worked. They need to bottom out somewhat to try and find a guy I think and I don't see a Tomlin side ever bottoming out;

 

6. If Mike Tomlin were to part company with the Steelers this week he would be employed within a fortnight as a HC elsewhere. 

 

 

I know I wasn't saying that as a direct comparison to Tomlin. 

 

 

Possibly not. But I don't think Pickett should be considered at this stage as the Steelers "starter"

Hard to disagree with a lot of your summary. 
 

I think I would add:

 

7. Mike Tomlin would not be employed by the Pittsburgh Steelers this long if he hadn’t won a Super Bowl in 2009.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

6 minutes ago, DrBob806 said:

I'd say that's the reality of all 32 teams, finding that QB. 

 

These front offices all do their "due diligence" yet many miss all the time. There's a little bit of luck involved in it.

 

There are more stories of missing on a high-pick QB than obtaining one, from just about every team with the exception perhaps of Green Bay. 

And to be fair, the Ravens hit on Lamar at pick 32. But it's like buying scratch offs: you never know what you are going to get, the most expensive give you the best odds.

 

That said, here is what the Bills had to effectively give up to take their swing on Josh at 7:

The 21st overall pick.

The 53rd overall pick.

The 56th overall pick.

Cordy Glenn

 

Now of course, the two QBs ahead of him were Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold and we know how that worked out.

 

[EasternOHBillsFan]

11 hours ago, NoSaint said:

Meh. We have perhaps the best player in the nfl at perhaps the most important position in all of sports. 
 

Tomlin blew the end of the first half, but his team did a lot for having such a large talent deficit even before taking their best player in watt away 

 

As much as I would like Tomlin to coach the Bills, what McD is doing for the Bills is hard to ignore... this team responds to him.

 

Knocking Tomlin for losing with this patchwork squad is asinine.

[Royale with Cheese]

27 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

Possibly not. But I don't think Pickett should be considered at this stage as the Steelers "starter"

 

I think day 1 next year, someone else will be the starter.  

[The Jokeman]

15 minutes ago, FireChans said:

Hard to disagree with a lot of your summary. 
 

I think I would add:

 

7. Mike Tomlin would not be employed by the Pittsburgh Steelers this long if he hadn’t won a Super Bowl in 2009.

Hard to say as the Steelers seem to like to hold onto HCs as long as they can. Maybe it a respect thing for Tomlin for winning his Super Bowl his first season but to be honest since then he's been good but not great. He lucked out that his GM got rid of AB before he destroyed that locker room. That said he still under contract for next season, fully expect the Steelers to keep him but in terms of 2025 I'd say he's gotta do something more than just having a winning record and making the playoffs to keep his job.

[DrBob806]

11 minutes ago, WhitewalkerInPhilly said:

 

Now of course, the two QBs ahead of him were Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold and we know how that worked out.

 

Right. There were 4 QBs that charmed all the experts, if you include Rosen in there.

 

Sometimes it's just luck. Sometimes it's a baffling head-scratcher. Nobody knew how good JA would be, there were concerns about accuracy & the level of competition he faced ( like Carson Wentz). 

 

Drafting a QB is an "inexact science" IMHO. KC had Alex Smith, nothing before that since Len Dawson. Then they got Mahomes. One decent QB in 40-50 years....you'd think you'd luck out on a pick at least once or twice in that span.

 

Be grateful for JA. Best QB since Joe Fergeson. 30+ years of sadness in between.

[Mikie2times]

Nothing like celebrating these wild card wins. When our claim to fame is no longer wild card champions this thread could have some legs. Great chance Sunday to start that narrative. 

 

 

[NY to VA to NV to TX to AZ]

12 hours ago, FireChans said:

Man oh man, this guy is just so elite.

 

He really had his guys ready to play today. They kept it pretty close in the first Q and came out ready to fight. 

 

Just another incredible coaching product by Tomlin today. He saw what other “better than McDermott” coaches like Mike McCarthy cooked up yesterday and what Mike McDaniel cooked up the last two weeks and wanted a piece for himself.

 

All these elite coaches, just being elite and superior to our own McDummy week after week. 
 

Good luck to Mike Tomlin on his elusive hunt for his second playoff win since 2016. If only we could be so lucky to have such a coach.

 

SUPER SERIOUS EDIT:

 

I crunched the numbers and it’s actually FIRST playoff win since 2016. Man, we gotta get THAT guy.

I feel like this is a bit sarcastic. Just feeling I got….in case others can’t read into the sarcasm.

[Warcodered]

 

[Thrivefourfive]

All this contract talk and is Tomlin worth giving a lifetime deal to.., I just can’t believe he was dealt another WR1 head case. 

[Billznut]

11 hours ago, DrBob806 said:

 

 

Be grateful for JA. Best QB since Joe Fergeson. 30+ years of sadness in between.

Hall of famer Jim Kelly says hi!

[jaybills]

On 1/15/2024 at 9:18 PM, FireChans said:

Man oh man, this guy is just so elite.

 

He really had his guys ready to play today. They kept it pretty close in the first Q and came out ready to fight. 

 

Just another incredible coaching product by Tomlin today. He saw what other “better than McDermott” coaches like Mike McCarthy cooked up yesterday and what Mike McDaniel cooked up the last two weeks and wanted a piece for himself.

 

All these elite coaches, just being elite and superior to our own McDummy week after week. 
 

Good luck to Mike Tomlin on his elusive hunt for his second playoff win since 2016. If only we could be so lucky to have such a coach.

 

SUPER SERIOUS EDIT:

 

I crunched the numbers and it’s actually FIRST playoff win since 2016. Man, we gotta get THAT guy.

Love love love me some Mike T.

[Buffalo716]

17 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

On the actual topic here is my view in summary:

 

1. Mike Tomlin is a really good football coach;

 

2. Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers have overachieved in the last 4 or 5 years since Ben fell apart. To have made the postseason 3 of the last 4 years is a hell of a job under the circumstances;

 

3. Mike Tomlin can be legitimately be criticised for underachieving in the period between his Superbowl team in 2010 and Ben's arm falling off in 2018. They missed the playoffs twice in that period and lost playoff games to Flacco, Tebow and Bortles plus the ghost of Peyton Manning in the year he couldn't throw. This despite a top 5 QB, the best receiver in football, a good running game and some talent on defense;

 

4. I would never have called Tomlin as a great Xs and Os coach. He isn't even a great defensive mind despite coming from that side of the ball. His asset is his leadership and ability to build a competitive culture that brings the best out of his guys while letting them be themselves;

 

5. Mike Tomlin is arguably too good of a coach for where the Steelers currently are. They tried the "draft a QB in the middle of the 1st where we normally draft" approach and that hasn't worked. They need to bottom out somewhat to try and find a guy I think and I don't see a Tomlin side ever bottoming out;

 

6. If Mike Tomlin were to part company with the Steelers this week he would be employed within a fortnight as a HC elsewhere. 

 

 

I know I wasn't saying that as a direct comparison to Tomlin. 

 

 

Possibly not. But I don't think Pickett should be considered at this stage as the Steelers "starter"

Reading all of your post I don't have a lot to touch on...

 

But football coaches are a weird thing... You call Tomlin a defensive mind... Which is what he's giving credit for

 

But he was a college wide receiver who played offense... That's why I call football coaches coaches for the most part...

 

Andy Reid is given credit as a quarterback guru... Yet he was an offensive line coach who never coached quarterbacks until he had Hall of famer Brett favre

 

A lot of coaches can coach a lot of things... And Tomlin is a good coach

 

If you never watched football before this year... And watch the Steelers.... Nobody would ever think Mike Tomlin was an offensive football player.. or a division 1 wide receiver lol

 

Because he gets credit for being a defensive guru...

 

But that's where wide receivers make good defensive coaches... Because they understand what offenses are trying to do to the back end of defenses

Edited January 17 by Buffalo716

[GunnerBill]

31 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

Reading all of your post I don't have a lot to touch on...

 

But football coaches are a weird thing... You call Tomlin a defensive mind... Which is what he's giving credit for

 

But he was a college wide receiver who played offense... That's why I call football coaches coaches for the most part...

 

Andy Reid is given credit as a quarterback guru... Yet he was an offensive line coach who never coached quarterbacks until he had Hall of famer Brett favre

 

A lot of coaches can coach a lot of things... And Tomlin is a good coach

 

If you never watched football before this year... And watch the Steelers.... Nobody would ever think Mike Tomlin was an offensive football player.. or a division 1 wide receiver lol

 

Because he gets credit for being a defensive guru...

 

But that's where wide receivers make good defensive coaches... Because they understand what offenses are trying to do to the back end of defenses

 

I was actually saying he is not really a defensive guru despite his coaching background being on that side of the ball. I think Tomlin is just a solid football coach but he is an example of a guy I think is more suited to Head Coach than coordinator. 

[Buffalo716]

37 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I was actually saying he is not really a defensive guru despite his coaching background being on that side of the ball. I think Tomlin is just a solid football coach but he is an example of a guy I think is more suited to Head Coach than coordinator. 

There's a lot of football coaches that are better suited to be leaders of men on entire teams ...than a position group or unit

 

It's a demeanor

 

While some guys are destined to be terrific linebacker coaches... Or positional guys

 

 

Edited January 17 by Buffalo716

[Donuts and Doritos]

The post seems to be taking a shot at McD, by belittling the Bills wins as being against inferior opponents & therefore "McDummy" as he calls him, hasn't really out coached anyone good. Just seems like another attempt at a McD hit piece by saying Tomlin's trash.

[GunnerBill]

4 minutes ago, Donuts and Doritos said:

The post seems to be taking a shot at McD, by belittling the Bills wins as being against inferior opponents & therefore "McDummy" as he calls him, hasn't really out coached anyone good. Just seems like another attempt at a McD hit piece by saying Tomlin's trash.

 

I think it is the opposite actually. It is sarcastically pointing out to all the people who say McD is trash because he hasn't won a Superbowl that it is difficult to be consistently competitive even if you are a Superbowl winning coach. 

[DrBob806]

10 hours ago, Billznut said:

Hall of famer Jim Kelly says hi!

Oops. Lol I never liked how he called his team mates out. 

 

PS- always thought Moon, Kosar, & Esiason were better QBs than JK. 

Edited January 17 by DrBob806

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

He got his crew into the post season with a third string quarterback… I’ll give him a pass this year

[Mr. WEO]

On 1/15/2024 at 10:33 PM, Mikie2times said:

Ben missed all of 2019 and was 38 and 39 in 2020 and 2021 and a shell of himself. So you want to review the 2016-2020? He lost to Tom Brady in a AFC Championship game. I don't know what your point is here. 

 

 

Shell?  In 2020, he threw 33 TDs, his second most in his career. They went 12-3 and went 1 and done in the playoffs....giving up 48 points to the Browns.  6 one and dones in his last 8 playoffs. 

[PBF81]

If we're comparing coaches, perhaps waiting until ours posts only his second Divisional Round win in 7 seasons while having the premier QB in the league and despite winning the division for four straight seasons would be wise, and then crowing when and only when he doesn't hand a Super Bowl appearance and win to our opponent on a silver platter in the next round.

 

Just sayin'. 

 

For now, Tomlin can say that his Super Bowl ring is bigger and nicer than McD's.  

 

 

[Spiderweb]

Good old Bug Eyes..... Also, I'll never forget his tripping of an opposing team's return man. He never should have been allowed to coach again. NFL should have banned him along with all the women/children beaters. POS in my book.

Edited January 17 by Spiderweb

[Simon]

1 minute ago, Spiderweb said:

Good old Bug Eyes..... 

 

Said the spider of the fly......