Steelers’ Mike Tomlin inspires other coaches to realize, ‘I can do this, too’

Editor’s note: Throughout the NFL season, The Athletic has been telling the stories of Black coaches who have been identified as having the qualities and potential to become head coaches. This is the final installment. To read the profiles of the candidates, click here.

Last summer, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin brought his team leaders together. They agreed to make a public statement about social injustices before their intrasquad scrimmage at Heinz Field. And they also agreed Tomlin — Coach T, or Mike T as they call him — should be the one to say it.

With his players behind him locking arms, and with Steelers president Art Rooney and general manager Kevin Colbert on each side, Tomlin stood in the middle of the field, slipped down his mask and spoke into a microphone.

“We stand before you acknowledging we are blessed and privileged,” he said. “But that privilege does not shield us from sadness. That privilege does not shield us from shock, from outrage. It does not shield us from fear — fear for our safety of our loved ones or an uncertain future. Beyond being football men first and foremost, we are husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, uncles, members of a community. We wanted to pause and to share with those that are hurting tonight that we see you, hear you, but most importantly, we stand with you. Now, we take a moment to come together in the middle of the field as a group of men and pray for betterment.”

Everything about Tomlin — his posture, his wide and steady stare, his precise enunciation and the way his words came from deep in his chest, forcefully, powerfully — made a statement.

The words echoed in the empty stadium. And then they echoed through video on mobile devices, tablets, laptops and televisions.

What he said resonated with many, including inside linebacker Vince Williams. “Even though we have a job to do and we’re singularly focused on football, we’re still Black men at the end of the day, and seeing these transgressions affect us,” he says. “Having somebody that’s your head coach that shares those experiences and understands those things, that’s tremendous.”

Tomlin’s perspective on the subject is different from most NFL head coaches. He probably was uniquely qualified to give that speech.

It wasn’t long ago when Tomlin was the youngest head coach in history to win a Super Bowl at 36 in 2009. Now, at 48, he is the third-longest tenured coach in the NFL. This season, his 11-1 Steelers are on track to win their eighth AFC North title. He ranks 15th on the all-time winning percentage list.

This is Tomlin’s 14th straight season without a losing record, which ties Marty Schottenheimer’s NFL record. Think about that. Storms that have blown away every other coach barely have made Tomlin and his Steelers sway.

His ledger is impressive. So is what he’s accomplishing beyond it.

Nineteen years ago, Buccaneers head coach Tony Dungy was looking for a defensive backs coach after Herm Edwards left to become head coach of the Jets. Dungy asked his player personnel director, Tim Ruskell, and his college scouting director, Ruston Webster, if they knew of any young college coaches who would be good candidates.

Both independently gave him the name of a 28-year-old at the University of Cincinnati. They talked about how he developed middle-of-the-road recruits into highly regarded prospects and how he had exceptional communication skills.

Within 10 minutes of shaking Tomlin’s hand for the first time, Dungy knew he wanted to hire him.

Within one month, Dungy knew Tomlin was going to be a head coach.

Within one year, Dungy tried to make him a defensive coordinator. Dungy had been fired by the Bucs and hired by the Colts, and he tried to bring Tomlin with him. Bucs owner Joel Glazer refused to let Tomlin out of his contract.

Six years later, Tomlin was the head coach of the Steelers, the 10th African American coach in NFL history. Dungy had been the fifth.

Earlier this season, Tomlin won his 140th game, one more than Dungy had won and more than any Black coach in history. The milestone undoubtedly was meaningful for Tomlin, as he has called his Hall of Fame mentor “the blueprint of a generation for us.”

Tomlin coaches with a different style than Dungy. He is more of a prodder, less of a coaxer. Patience is one of Dungy’s anchors; urgency is one of Tomlin’s. Whereas Dungy is more diplomatic, Tomlin is more blunt — he attributed the Steelers’ red zone struggles against the Ravens earlier this month to “us sucking.” Tomlin’s speaking volume is naturally somewhere between leaf blower and chainsaw. Dungy’s is closer to “be quiet so I can hear what he says.”

But at their core, they are similar in their loyalty, relatability, steadfastness, calm and big-picture priorities. Tomlin reacted like Dungy might have after the Steelers lost their first game of the season to the Washington Football Team Monday. “Different points along the journey you get a chance to learn about yourself, who you are, what you’re made of, individually and collectively,” Tomlin said. “And it takes the journey to reveal that.”

What Dungy once stood for is what Tomlin now stands for. “I remember seeing (Dungy) and thinking he was the most impressive coach I’d seen in my life, the way he went about things,” says Williams, who was in high school when Dungy retired from coaching. “Then I get to play for Coach T. And Coach T in a lot of ways for this generation and the players younger than me, he is (what Coach Dungy was).”

Dungy and Tomlin were together for only one year. It was long enough.

When the Steelers hired Tomlin in 2007, he didn’t force himself onto the franchise in the typical way, changing systems and culture and promoting a new toughness as if the previous group had been spreading rose petals and blowing kisses.

Instead, he folded into a tradition. Even though Tomlin was attractive as a candidate in part because of his success with the Tampa 2 system, he retained defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and five other assistants and committed to LeBeau’s 3-4, blitz-heavy scheme. “That’s a different type of understanding, non-ego, and intelligence,” says Maryland offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery, who coached wide receivers for Tomlin for three years.

Over time, Tomlin has shown a willingness to play offense in different ways. Initially, it was all play action and power. Then, it was lights and lasers with Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. Now, it’s all about versatility and taking advantage of what is given.

But when Tomlin commits, there is no wavering. “One of the things I learned from him is we’re going to do the things our guys do, and even if things aren’t going great in a game, he doesn’t hide the fact that this is what we’re going to do,” says Steelers senior defensive assistant Teryl Austin. “It’s easy to say we have to change, it’s not working the way I thought, and there are times when that happens. But sometimes there’s nothing wrong. It’s just the way we’re executing. He does a great job of creating that vibe for the staff and the players.”

Tomlin is the face of NFL diversity. At the root of diversity is open-mindedness. Tomlin’s open-mindedness has been reflected over his 14 seasons with the Steelers.

Williams is impressed by the way Tomlin has a personal relationship with every member of the team. He calls it the “craziest thing” he’s ever seen.

“He can talk to the president or kids from an impoverished area and be extremely comfortable,” says Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods, who worked with Tomlin on the Bucs’ staff before Tomlin hired him in Minnesota. “He has the ability just to get along with people.”

Whether he’s Mike Tomlin, Coach T or Mike T, the Steelers’ coach has impressed people with his leadership. (Rich Schultz / Getty Images)

The majority of Tomlin’s players share his skin color. But Williams says what binds Tomlin to his players isn’t their race — it’s the game and their passion for it. “Mike T is able to relate everything you have going on in your life … to a football conversation,” he says.

As Williams has matured and his relationship with his coach has evolved, they have found different points of connection. Early, it was about how to focus and handle day-to-day tasks. Once Williams had that down, Tomlin and he talked a lot about being a playmaker, a consistent contributor and an example for younger players. These days, they talk about their kids, parenting and youth sports.

What stands out to former Steelers cornerback William Gay about Tomlin is his transparency. At the start of every week in the team meeting, Tomlin plays a game called Two Dogs, One Bone in which he calls out two players to compete during the week in practice and in meetings for one reward, which usually is more playing time in the coming game. “You’ll know the answer without the coaches having to go in a dark room and deciding,” Gay says. “Sometimes head coaches really just want that power to themselves. That’s what makes him stand above a lot of coaches.”

Tomlin is an uncomplicated coach. He played wide receiver in college, but he has the style of a no-nonsense, stick-your-nose-in-the-pile strong safety.

With an audience before him, Tomlin often uses simple catchphrases, which have become known as Tomlinisms.

“The standard is the standard.”

“Don’t be that guy.”

“Don’t live in our fears.”

“Respect the journey.”

“Don’t blink.”

“Excuses are the tools of the incompetent.”

“Don’t take it.”

“Don’t get caught less than ready.”

Not everyone buys into the Tao of Tomlin. It apparently has been easier for those who are around Tomlin to appreciate him more than some who are not. In a 2016 interview, Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw said, “I don’t think he’s a great coach at all.” Tomlin’s detractors point out he is in the enviable position of working for the most stable franchise in the league and having inherited a probable Hall of Fame quarterback.

Fans and media have found fault with him, including during the 2014 season, after the 2017 season, and even last year when the Steelers were without Ben Roethlisberger. With the national anthem debate was raging in 2017, the Steelers decided to stay in the tunnel during the Star-Spangled Banner, leading the fire chief from Cecil Township, Pa., to make a social media post saying, “Tomlin just added himself to the list of no-good n——.” (The fire chief later apologized and was removed from his position.)

Tomlin doesn’t dignify his critics. “Seeing him go through what he goes through and maintain his composure and shrug it off, it’s inspiring,” Williams says.

His defense comes from those who know him best. “He’s doing exactly what Dan Rooney expected him to do and continuing the tradition of Pittsburgh coaches,” Dungy says. “It’s a tough standard to live up to because it’s not winning one Super Bowl or even multiple Super Bowls. People in Pittsburgh think they should win every year. He has represented the city well and been involved in the community, helping these young men grow, developing men, all the things we talked about that first year in 2001 when he came. He’s taken it beyond that.”

Montgomery considers Tomlin the best coach in football. “Not taking anything away from what coach (Bill) Belichick has done, what coach (Andy) Reid has done,” he says. “Those guys are all over my walls. I love those guys, think they’re great ball coaches, but the relationship I was able to forge with Mike and seeing him, I was overly impressed with him. His ability to communicate with coaches, with 12-year Pro Bowlers, with free agents makes him elite. His ability to adjust on the move with all the moving pieces we have on a weekly basis that people don’t know about, it’s very impressive.”

What does influence look like?

These men played for Tomlin: Bengals defensive line coach Nick Eason, Dixie State defensive line coach Hebron Fangupo, Bucs outside linebackers coach Larry Foote, Raw Talent Sports defensive backs coach Doran Grant, Clemson wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham, Washington Football Team intern Ziggy Hood, Gateway High School defensive coordinator Mortty Ivy, Valor Christian high school defensive line coach Travis Kirschke, Landry Walker High School head coach Keenan Lewis, Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Bucs offensive assistant Antwaan Randle El, Auburn offensive analyst Kendall Simmons, Sam Houston State run game coordinator Darnell Stapleton, Bears secondary coach Deshea Townsend and Jets offensive assistant Hines Ward.

Townsend says Tomlin helped inspire him to become a coach. “The way he carried himself, the things he did as a coach … those are the things you kind of add to your game as a coach, and you want to make sure your players see you the same way,” he says.

Leftwich considers Tomlin one of his primary influences. “I was able to play for an African American coach and see how he went about business every day,” he says. “I hate to even bring up that he’s African American because it’s really how good a coach he is. One of the best men I’ve ever been around. A true leader of men. Seeing what he did every day was an amazing thing.”

Tomlin, a member of the NFL’s diversity committee, has nine minorities on his coaching staff of 18. Only three teams have a higher percentage of minority coaches. But Tomlin doesn’t force hirings and promotions. All three of his coordinators are White.

Gay played for Tomlin for 10 seasons. At one point, Tomlin nicknamed him “Player coach.” Then he started calling him “Co-Coordinator.” It prompted Gay to consider his future. “I thought it was big coming from a guy of his stature,” Gay says.

Gay served a summer internship with Tomlin last season. When Gay’s internship expired at the end of training camp, Tomlin asked him to stay as a season-long intern, which Gay did. Then in the offseason, he was hired by Missouri State as a defensive backs coach.

Gay’s interest in coaching can be traced to Tomlin. “When you’re around him, he makes you think so much about the game and the different ways to attack offense and defense that you can’t help but try to be a coach,” Gay says.

Tomlin always is looking for young, promising coaches. And he charges them with more than making airport runs.

“He empowers them when we get into meetings,” Austin says. “They are a part of the meeting, not just sitting in the back. When we’re on the field, he wants them coaching a position. He wants them hands-on and learning how to be a coach. In some places, the (quality control coaches) are film breakdown guys. They hold the cards and don’t do anything else, then when they get an opportunity to go somewhere and coach, you don’t really know if they can coach. He always tries to help guys come in and move on.”

William Gay, right, is one of several former players who have been inspired by Tomlin to go into coaching. (David Richard / Associated Press)

Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris worked under Tomlin when both were assistants with the Bucs. He says he considers Tomlin the biggest influence in his coaching career.

Woods considers Tomlin his mentor. They talk once or twice a month, and when Woods is in Pittsburgh, he stays at Tomlin’s house — or at least he did before he became an AFC North enemy. Woods even sounds like Tomlin in the way that Kobe Bryant used to sound like Michael Jordan.

“He’d teach the DBs from an offensive perspective,” Woods says. “And he taught me the way he did it. That’s what got me over the hump as a position coach.”

Tomlin’s approval is important to coaches who are loyal to him. When Montgomery was in Pittsburgh, he was offered a job as the assistant head coach and wide receivers coach at Duke. He asked Tomlin what he thought. Tomlin told him he wasn’t leaving unless he was made a coordinator, then walked out and closed the door.

Montgomery asked Tomlin to meet him at D’s Six Pax & Dogz. The place was empty except for the two of them, the guy making the Big Ben dogs and the guy pouring the East End beer. Montgomery made his appeal and Tomlin told him to go. “I listen to a lot of what Coach Tomlin has to tell me,” Montgomery says. “He’s been instrumental in putting me in front of the right people and also getting me to understand there are bad situations.”

Gay says he considers Tomlin a role model. “As kids, we always look up to role models, especially people who look like us, African Americans. So when you see a successful guy of his stature in a predominantly White field for head coaches, that gives you some type of (confidence) that I can do this, too, because the guy I look up to looks just like me and is successful and will go in the Hall of Fame.”

Tomlin doesn’t yet have a coaching tree like Reid or Belichick.

Coaching trees don’t necessarily measure influence.

Tomlin turned down scholarship offers from Ivy League schools to play football at William & Mary. After college, he thought he was going to go to law school.

None of this was planned. At least not by him.

Tomlin wears a silver cross on a chain around his neck. Along with the aviators, the square jaw and the grown-man beard, he tells us everything we need to know about him that his words won’t.

In an interview before Super Bowl XLII, Tomlin said his biggest takeaway from Dungy was his consistent message of faith. He also spoke of how observing Dungy taught him servant leadership. Tomlin’s idea of leadership — and Dungy’s — is more about lifting others up rather than knocking them down.

How is success measured for a coach? Is it all gold watches, silver trophies and bronze busts? Or is it changing lives and strengthening communities?

As a spokesman for the ManUp Pittsburgh Project, Tomlin spreads the word about the significance of fatherhood. ManUp’s stated purpose is to teach men to be godly leaders for their families and raise awareness of the devastating impact of fatherlessness. In a speech earlier this year at a ManUp event, Tomlin explained he considered himself a fatherless kid, as his father left his family before his first birthday. Later in his life, he realized he had been blessed with surrogate fathers such as his grandfather, older brother, coaches and stepfather.

In addition to being the father to Michael, 20, Mason, 18, and Harlyn, 14, Tomlin wants to be a father figure to others who need one.

Earlier this year, Gay was thrilled with his new job at Missouri State. But he and the mother of his child separated. He sought Tomlin’s advice on the matter and decided to resign to be with his son, William Gay Jr., now 15 months old. “Mike Tomlin is the reason why because I wanted to be a father first before a football coach, like him,” Gay says. “He’s bigger than a role model to me. He’s a father to me.”

Athletes without fathers sometimes are asked to feed many mouths and resolve many complications. Williams says Tomlin has advised him and many of his teammates how to handle their needy families.

Tomlin has the perspective as well as the credibility to go where many cannot.

Some might say he has been so successful that his skin color never has mattered. And some might say he has been so successful that his skin color means everything.

“It means a lot to me,” Williams says of Tomlin being a fellow African American. “It’s not just that he’s a Black head coach, it’s how good he is at being a coach. He’s a great example of how to be a professional man and how to go about your day-to-day business even though he is in rare air.”

Tomlin represents the power of opportunity.

Twenty years ago, Tomlin was the minority intern as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship for the Browns under head coach Chris Palmer and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel. For years, he was held up as proof the Rooney Rule worked. He wasn’t supposed to be hired as head coach of the Steelers — internal candidate Russ Grimm was the favorite. But Tomlin’s interview blew away Dan Rooney.

Tomlin recalls attending his first combine as a member of the Bucs with Dungy and being embraced by Ray Rhodes, Shack Harris and others he was meeting for the first time. “I have always been so well received and encouraged and nurtured by … guys who were longtime position coaches and quality leaders in this league, guys like Richard Mann, Terry Robiskie, the names go on and on,” Tomlin says. “I take what I have an opportunity to do very seriously because I know there were many deserving before me that didn’t get (an opportunity).

“At the same time, I’m also responsible to work hard to make sure those who come after me are supported. … I’ve always had a commitment to seek out and nurture and develop those that are like me in an effort to pay it forward. It’s an honor to be a part of the developmental process and help them in ways I’ve been helped.”

This season, Tomlin might win his second Super Bowl or his first coach of the year award. If he does, it will enable him to open more minds, hearts and doors.

“I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me,” he says.

And many will stand on his.

(Top photo: Charles Rex Arbogast / Associated Press)