“I have anxiety associated with uncertainty, it’s scary”: Mike Tomlin isn’t that optimistic about the Steelers ending with a winning record without Ben Roethlisberger
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Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin
Father Time has struck yet again and this time it is the Pittsburgh Steelers legend, Ben Roethlisberger. For 18 total seasons, the quarterback recorded 2 playoff appearances along with two Super Bowl titles, the quarterback was the go-to man for Pittsburgh and his career stats show that. With a total of 64,088 yards thrown along with 418 touchdowns thrown, he was consistent for the team and was always there.
With Ben out the door now, Head Coach Mike Tomlin is faced with the biggest challenge of his career yet. Since 2017, finding a new quarterback for his team was the last of his concerns, but coach Tomlin is viewing this as a challenge that he very well intends to get on top of.
“When you see special stuff every day, you get used to it”: Mike Tomlin believes that Ben Roethlisberger made greatness look easy
Coach Tomlin appeared on The Pivot podcast where he spoke about the future of the Steelers and how he intends to fill the void left by Big Ben. “The dude’s talent, when you watch somebody do something at a certain level for long, it messes up your perception of what’s regular and what’s not. The dude’s arm talent was so special for so long. When you see special stuff every day, you get used to it. I’ve enjoyed that comfort, we’ve all enjoyed that comfort. I’m excited about being uncomfortable,” Coach Tomlin stated.
Coach is optimistic about the squad that he has in place, “We might not have the type of quarterback play that we’ve had, we might not have a special talent that we’ve had, but we got capable dudes. And we’ve got a team.”
Pittsburgh has attempted to put itself in the best position at the most important positions but the quarterback position is one that has been shaky for the team for a long. They have Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph, not the best starters. There is a lot more hope now that they picked Kenny Pickett with the 20th overall pick. The quarterback brings with him a new ray of hope, though he has big shoes to fill, literally Coach Tomlin’s approach to overcome the loss at the QB position will be by making the entire team better and ensuring all do their part.
“There’s going to be some new leadership here, some of them you can anticipate. But make no mistake, we are not sitting around hoping any of it happens. We’re thoughtfully constructing it,” Mike Tomlin stated hinting at players such as Najee Harris who are establishing themselves as leaders.
Harris had himself a year with 307 carries for 1,200 yards and 467 yards on 74 receptions, scoring 10 times during a rookie season that we will remember for years to come. His talent is something that gives Steelers fans some optimism for the future. The next step for Harris is to evolve as a respectable leader who is consistent. The word consistent is important as he cannot lead if all he had was one good season.
Coach Tomlin loves Harris and came out with high praise for him, “That dude is a bell cow. He’s gonna have to be a bell cow for us, If this train is going anywhere in 2022, he’s going to be a major component of it, and he’s capable. I ain’t even talking about it from a talent standpoint. We know that. I’m talking about he’s capable from an intangibles standpoint. Bringing the best out in his teammates. Wearing the responsibility that comes with leading.”
Irrespective of who wins the quarterback battle, it appears that Mike Tomlin’s vision for the team’s success moving ahead is to depend on the leadership of LB T.J. Watt, defensive end Cameron Heyward, and Harris, the new offensive leader.
Mike Tomlin sure is excited about the challenge that lies ahead, his record of not having a losing season speaks to his strengths as a coach. “I’m looking forward to the anxiety associated with that uncertainty. To have to stand and deliver, to live out what we believe in. The standard is the standard. It’s like McDonald’s. You know what a No.1 is. It doesn’t matter where you go, what corner of the globe, a No.1 is a No.1, and that’s what I want Pittsburgh Steelers football to be. It doesn’t matter who puts their hands underneath the center as far as I’m concerned. But, all that cool stuff being said, it’s scary but exciting,” Coach Tomlin concludes. He knows that the road ahead is rocky but he is open to that challenge and accepting of it.
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Sumedh Joshi
(2335 Articles Published)