Head coach Mike Tomlin has led the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2007, never finishing a season with a losing record. Now, with 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers set to take over at quarterback, the franchise enters a new era with higher expectations.
Still, Tomlin’s standards remain the same as the Steelers look ahead to 2025. Recently, former linebacker James Harrison shared one thing he didn’t like about Tomlin’s coaching style.
Former Steelers LB James Harrison Opens Up About His Time Under HC Mike Tomlin
Not many head coaches win a Super Bowl, let alone in their second season. Tomlin did just that during the 2008-09 campaign and made another appearance two years later, losing to their current quarterback, Rodgers. While Tomlin’s résumé speaks for itself, Harrison recently opened up about what went on behind the scenes during an appearance on the “Nightcap” podcast.
“With Mike, the biggest thing that I liked about him is that he is a players’ coach,” Harrison said. “The thing I dislike about him is that he is a players’ coach to a point of sometimes it can disrupt. It goes a little too far with allowing certain things with players, and then it becomes an issue with that player.”
The Steelers legend then shifted from Tomlin’s coaching style to his frustrations with communication and accountability.
“The biggest thing was, you ask a tough question and get a tough answer,” Harrison continued. “I was asking tough questions and I wasn’t getting an answer. If you want to sit me here and just have me here as a security blanket, say that. I’ll sit back and do whatever it is. The biggest thing of asking a tough question and getting a tough answer, that didn’t come true to me.”
Harrison started his NFL career with the Steelers, briefly left the team, and returned to Pittsburgh in 2004. He spent the next eight seasons with the team before leaving after the 2012 season. Harrison returned in 2014 after a brief stint with the Cincinnati Bengals. As a two-time Super Bowl champion, he was a major part of Tomlin’s early years with the franchise.
With Rodgers in the mix, there seems to be more politics than ever. The four-time NFL MVP has done it all, though many believe he should have reached more than one Super Bowl.
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Regardless, Tomlin will now be coaching a player who always seems to be in the spotlight, whether he wants the attention or not. At the same time, pressure continues to grow on Tomlin, as the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016 despite multiple postseason appearances.
Harrison believes someone like Rodgers might be handled differently under Tomlin’s coaching style. That wasn’t the case with now–New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson last season, who was quickly moved on from as the team struggled to build momentum after Justin Fields led them to a strong start.