Mike Tomlin has been the HC in Steel City for 18 long years. During that time, the Steelers have won 183 regular-season games. And the XLIII ring is very close to his heart. “I actually never even touched it. I see five of them every day when I do go to work. [So] I know what they look like. I’m just glad that I can do my part in terms of contributing to that trophy case.” This is what Tomlin said after finally getting his hands on his first Lombardi. But now, 15 years later, that’s still his only one. Worse? The Steelers haven’t won a single playoff game in the last eight seasons. And for a franchise that breathes postseason football, patience is starting to wear thin.
Now, ahead of the 2025 season, a legend who’s seen Tomlin’s ways up close spilled some real talk about what it was like. Especially towards the end of his career – and spoiler: it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Tomlin has been known to tolerate some wild drama on and off the field when it comes to his stars. The curious case of George Pickens comes to mind. Though not everyone gets that kind of runway. The most recent quarterback drama had insiders saying Tomlin would wait until the final hour for Aaron Rodgers. But that same patience didn’t always extend to longtime veterans, like James Harrison.
Harrison dropped some truth-bombs on a recent edition of the Nightcap podcast. Talking about his time with the Steelers, he noted that Tomlin’s way of dealing with the players was a double-edged sword. As Harrison put it, “With Mike, the biggest thing, I guess, that I like about him is he is a player’s coach. And the thing I dislike about him is he is a players’ coach to a point. Sometimes it can disrupt because it goes maybe a little too far with allowing certain things with certain players. And then it becomes an issue with that player.” Tomlin has a vibe where players feel comfortable and respected. But sometimes that laid-back style lets players slide on stuff they shouldn’t, and that can mess with the whole team’s groove. And then there was also the issue about his retirement.
James Harrison on Tomlin toward the end of his career: “Especially towards the end of my career, the biggest thing was, you ask the tough question, you get the tough answer. Well, I was asking tough questions, and I wasn’t getting the answer. I was getting told things that…
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) June 27, 2025
James Harrison has had three notable stints with the Steelers. He showed brilliant flashes every now and then. But in his final stint with the Steelers from 2014 – 17, there were younger guys on the roster gunning for glory. And Harrison didn’t get a lot of starts. In his last season (2017), he only played in 5 games, recording just three tackles and 1.0 sack. He tried to talk to Tomlin about his plays and place in the team, but didn’t get any straight answers. “Especially towards the end of my career, the biggest thing was, you ask the tough question, you get the tough answer. Well, I was asking tough questions, and I wasn’t getting the answer. I was getting told things that weren’t the answer that was the true answer.”
Basically, Harrison felt like there was no clear transparency in the communications. That’s a rough spot for a guy who’s all about grinding and facing the truth head-on. But this isn’t just Harrison’s personal beef. It’s been a thing with the Steelers for a while now. Tomlin’s treatment varies from player to player, and that does damage, eventually.
Mike Tomlin’s messy handling in Steel City
The receiver room most strongly feels the effects of Mike Tomlin’s coaching style. As James Harrison said, Tomlin’s ways go “a little too far with allowing certain things with certain players,” two names immediately come to mind. Antonio Brown and George Pickens. Brown was often late for meetings and warmups. While the rest of the team camped together, Brown notably had his own place and a private chef to boot. But as one player noted, “[Tomlin] essentially told the group, we’ll tolerate it now because of what he brings on the field, but the minute production stops, you don’t overlook it.” Brown produced impressive numbers on the field through his time in Steel City. And that was the reason he was getting away with things.
Fast forward to George Pickens. He had the talent but also the attitude. Over the past few seasons, Pickens has thrown some fits about playing time, gotten into scraps, and even had some run-ins with fans. Tomlin tried to roll with it, saying Pickens’ fire was part of what makes him great. But last season, Week 5, Pickens went up to Cowboys’ CB Jourdan Lewis and grabbed his facemask and started pulling him down. For Tomlin, that was the line. He even told Pickens that he’s “got to grow up.” But that grow up stage is now unfolding in Dallas.
Being a ‘players’ coach’ comes with building trust and loyalty. But it also means some players get to push the boundary a little too far. And the team pays the price as it ultimately affects the locker room dynamics. The Steelers’ playoff struggles over the past several years aren’t just about the X’s and O’s; they’re about how this coaching style plays out in real life with real personalities. Will this year be any different, or is there more of this to come?
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