Joe Haden didn’t sugarcoat it when he looked back on Mike Tomlin’s run in Pittsburgh.
On the Deebo & Joe podcast, the former Steelers cornerback pointed to what he saw as a dangerous looseness inside the locker room - the kind that can snowball when a coach is more comfortable building relationships than drawing hard lines.
“There was a looseness that was going around. That looseness is a reason where errors come in…”
Haden’s point went straight to the heart of Tomlin’s reputation. He was always considered a players’ coach, the kind of head man guys wanted to run through a wall for.
That connection mattered, and it helped Tomlin earn respect across 19 seasons with the Steelers. But according to Haden, that same approach also came with a cost when certain players were allowed too much rope.
“If star players were doing certain things, you just gotta nip it in the bud.”
That was the issue Haden was getting at: a sense that some diva-like behavior got a longer leash than it should have. He didn’t name names in that moment, but the conversation clearly pointed to the sort of special treatment that can build resentment in a locker room, especially when absences or tardiness start getting overlooked.
Tomlin’s tenure in Pittsburgh was defined by both his strengths and his blind spots. He could connect with players better than most coaches, and that bond was a major part of why so many wanted to play for him. But Haden’s criticism was that Tomlin didn’t always have the tough conversations when they were needed most.
That, in Haden’s view, is where things went sideways. Tomlin was the coach, not the pal, and failing to shut down bad habits early is part of why his Steelers years ended with so much playoff frustration. The article notes that Pittsburgh failed to win a playoff game during Tomlin’s final nine years with the organization.
In Other News...
Steelers Suddenly Face A Brutal T.J. Watt Question
The idea of T.J. Watt ever leaving Pittsburgh is the kind of thought that usually gets dismissed quickly, but it has surfaced for a reason. Watt remains one of the leagues premier edge rushers, yet his age and hefty contract make any theoretical trade far more complicated than the usual star-player speculation, especially for a Steelers team that still has to weigh present-day competitiveness against long-term flexibility.
ESPNs Bill Barnwell pointed to the Von Miller deal as the sort of framework that could shape Watts market, which is a reminder that even elite pass rushers do not always command the kind of return fans expect. If Pittsburgh were to stumble badly this season, the front office could at least have to confront whether moving Watt becomes a real option, even if the price tag would not likely match his reputation. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Suddenly Have Real Questions About Payton Wilson Before Camp
The Steelers head into camp with their middle linebacker spot under a sharper microscope than anyone would have expected a year ago. Patrick Queen is back as a starter, Payton Wilson is back after leading the team in tackles in 2025, and the group still carries the burden of a defense that never quite found its footing last season.
Wilsons athleticism has never been the issue, but the next step is harder to ignore now. His play in coverage remains the part that will define how far he can go in Pittsburgh, especially with the Steelers looking for more stability in the middle after a disappointing defensive year. [Read more 🡒]
Keeanu Benton Suddenly Has More To Prove Than Steelers Fans Expected
The Steelers have spent the offseason locking up familiar faces, with several veterans and members of the 2023 draft class already getting extensions. For Keeanu Benton, though, the picture is a little different. The fourth-year defensive lineman has shown enough growth to keep himself in the conversation, especially after taking a step forward as a pass rusher in 2025, but his place in Pittsburgh still feels more like a work in progress than a finished product.
Bentons next test is the one that matters most for a lineman in this system: holding up against the run. He needs a stronger season in 2026 to turn improvement into trust, a more prominent role and, eventually, the kind of long-term security his draft classmates are chasing. For now, he remains one of the more interesting Steelers to watch because the path forward is obvious, even if the payoff is still out in front of him. [Read more 🡒]