Mike Tomlin isn’t shy about how he handled things when the Pittsburgh Steelers hit rough patches under his watch.
On the New Heights Podcast, Tomlin made it clear that if a coordinator on his side of the ball wasn’t getting it done, he had no issue stepping in and taking back play-calling duties himself. He said that kind of move comes with the job, especially when a head coach’s background is rooted in that specific area.
“I’ve done it some, over the years. I’ll tell you this: Any coordinator that works on the side of the ball that’s the head coach’s area of expertise is subject to that if things aren’t going well.
You get head jobs because of your expertise and your experience in certain areas of a game. And so if you’re not hanging your hat there, where are you hanging your hat?
If you’re a defensive specialist and your defense isn’t great, like DeMeco, that’s what you do. It comes with the territory,” Tomlin said on the New Heights Podcast.
The former Steelers coach pointed to the way Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans has handled things this season as an example of that approach.
During the Steelers’ defensive struggles last year, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was still the one calling plays. But Tomlin said there were times under Keith Butler and even Dick LeBeau when he stepped in and took over those responsibilities himself.
It’s a familiar evolution for head coaches. Once they settle into the job, play-calling can fade into the background as the “CEO” part of the role takes over. But Tomlin made it clear that when the situation demands it, that convenience disappears fast.
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