Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is one of the most successful and consistent head coaches in the NFL as he has never had a losing season since he’s been the head coach. And this week, star defensive end T.J. Watt explained what makes Tomlin such a good head coach.
During a recent interview with Pro Football Talk, T.J. Watt sent a pretty clear message to Mike Tomlin about what he brings to the table during the team’s film study sessions throughout the week.
“I think it’s a holding everybody accountable-type thing as far as in the film room,” Watt said according to Pro Football Talk. “When we come into the team meeting room, you don’t know what’s he’s gonna show you. Everybody kind of has a little nervous feel. We’re all looking around each other like, ‘What play?’ When that play pops up, you immediately know before he even hits ‘play’ like, ‘Ahhh, it’s my play.’”
Watt explained that even though Tomlin’s conversations are cordial outside of football, he is not afraid to call out players in the film room.
“You could be talking to him outside the meeting room like cool, ‘How’s the family? How’s everything going?’ Really nice [and] all of a sudden you get in there and that play comes up like, ‘We were just cool outside and now you’re gonna roast me in front of the whole team?’” Watt said. “It’s that accountability aspect of in team meetings, the offense goes over their spiel a little bit, so the defense knows what the expectations are for the offense and vice versa. It helps us kind of hold each other accountable on the football field.”
Those are the sorts of things that make Tomlin one of the most effective coaches in the league.
About Kevin Harrish