Ryan Clark makes brutally honest admission about Steelers HC Mike Tomlin
Ryan Clark sheds light on Mike Tomlin's greatness by citing the story of Cam Heyward and the HC's role in reviving his career.
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Ryan Clark and Mike Tomlin (Images via IMAGO)
In the NFL, each year, head coaches come and go. The job is a high-pressure role with no fixed tenure of employment. An HC serves at the discretion of the team’s ownership, and a losing streak at any point can result in immediate dismissal.
In spite of the pressure and uncertainties, a few head coaches are able to stay put and thrive in their roles. Bill Belichick and Tom Landry are great examples of HCs that stayed with one team for over a decade. However, there is another man who continues to coach for the same team after 17 years with them.
Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin is an anomaly. He ranks third behind Landry and Belichick in terms of HCs with the most consecutive winning seasons. He has had 18 winning seasons and one Super Bowl win during his tenure with the Steelers. As much as Steeler nation loves him, it has become frustrating for the fanbase and ownership to witness the same result over and over again. The team makes it to the first round of the playoffs and proceeds to get knocked out.
After the Steelers lost yet again in the Wild Card round this season, there were serious doubts surrounding Tomlin’s future as the Head Coach. However, the ownership made it clear that his job was safe and while a percentage of fans were disappointed by this, it was the best decision that the Steelers could have taken.
A recent conversation on The Pivot podcast between Ryan Clark and Cam Heyward is proof that Mike Tomlin will remain in Pittsburgh until he chooses to step away from the NFL.
Defensive lineman Cam Heyward had a Pro Bowl season in 2024-25. However, due to injuries, he contemplated retiring after the 2023-24 season. Heyward was mentally drained out and wanted to walk away from the game but in reality, all he needed was someone to reignite the fire within him.
Tomlin asked to speak privately with Heyward. When the defensive lineman entered, coach Tomlin had planned how their sitdown would go from start to finish. He essentially held up a list of other players at Heyward’s position in the NFL and all that they had accomplished through their careers. The 35-year-old was being compared to the talent across the NFL.
Ryan Clark dubs Mike Tomlin as an ‘unfireable’ coach
In addition to this, coach Tomlin made Heyward watch his highlight reel. Watching the best plays from his 14-year career was just the first step, Tomlin essentially called Heyward out and told him he was no longer capable of playing at the same level. This wound up encouraging Heyward to work hard and return stronger than ever.
Ryan Clark lauded Tomlin’s unorthodox methods of motivating his players. The former safety has experience of playing for him.
Mike Tomlin is unfirable in my opinion, but that means nothing…Cam (Heyward) was ready to retire, but Tomlin wasn’t having it. He knew how the meeting needed to go. He had a list of players at Cam’s position, their ages and what they’d accomplished. If that wasn’t enough he had old film of Cam, and told him he’d never be that again. Well, Cam signed a new deal and had an All Pro year in 24…
Ryan Clark said
This story showcases the reason Tomlin will not be let go by the Steelers franchise. He understands his players better than they understand themselves. It is hard to come across coaches who are capable of motivating their players and bringing them back from the brink of retirement.
Mike Tomlin is unfirable in my opinion, but that means nothing. So I asked @CamHeyward why he, & others still believe in Mike T so much. His answer was informative, but also layered. It started with transparency, & ended with his ability to motivate.
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) March 21, 2025
Cam was ready to retire,… pic.twitter.com/kYsAKJKiu3
Tomlin was absolutely right. Heyward finished the year with 8 sacks and 35 solo tackles. Despite taking Pittsburgh to just one Super Bowl victory in his 18 seasons, Tomlin’s intangibles have earned him a spot among some of the greatest HCs in NFL history.
The upcoming season will be interesting as coach Tomlin is pushing to bring Aaron Rodgers aboard. If he succeeds, Rodgers will be the second potential Hall of Fame QB that he will coach.
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