Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has a knack for getting more out of his players than the sum of their individual talents would suggest. Earlier this week on PFT Live, we asked linebacker T.J. Watt to explain how Tomlin pulls it off.
âI think itâs a holding everybody accountable-type thing as far as in the film room,â Watt said. âWhen we come into the team meeting room, you donât know whatâs heâs gonna show you. Everybody kind of has a little nervous feel. Weâre all looking around each other like, âWhat play?â When that play pops up, you immediately know before he even hits âplayâ like, âAhhh, itâs my play.â
âYou could be talking to him outside the meeting room like cool, âHowâs the family? Howâs everything going?â Really nice [and] all of a sudden you get in there and that play comes up like, âWe were just cool outside and now youâre gonna roast me in front of the whole team?â Itâs 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.â
Another thing that gets the players to step up on the football field is the teamâs habit playing Renegade at a key moment, late in the game. Watt explained how it boosts the players.
âI mean, any time you get 75-plus thousand people on their feet waving Terrible Towels, the camera goes out, the screen goes black, and they start showing highlights, you feel â itâs tangible, you feel the energy in the place and it makes you want to give these people exactly what theyâre looking for. And thatâs a turnover, a big splash play, and itâs always playing [during] the most important series of the game.â
Whatever the Steelers are doing is working. They donât have the most talented team ob both sides of the ball, but they can compete with anyone and everyone, thanks to Tomlin and to the home-field advantage they enjoy in Pittsburgh.
