Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reminded everybody why he was one of the best in the game with a blood-pumping speech to his team ahead of the 2023 season.
If you were to substitute the head coach in any inspirational sports movie with Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin, the effect would be the same. Nay, it may be even greater. Herb Brooks, Herman Boone, Eric Taylor, Norman Dale, Ken Carter — these guys got nothing on Mike.
It wasn't enough for Tomlin to break the record for the longest winning season streak for a coach at the start of their career (15 seasons), the latest winning season being an unbelievably gritty 9-8 finish in 2022.
He just had to show up the other NFL coaches this summer by getting on his soapbox and delivering the motivational speech of a lifetime. Even if you're not a Steelers fan, you'll want to witness his astounding charisma and arousing oratory abilities in this brief behind-the-scenes clip from the team facility:
Is anyone else getting chills?
Steelers' Mike Tomlin gives his team a lesson they'll never forget
In his speech, Tomlin discusses the importance of having realistic expectations for one's goals in the NFL, but the more crucial takeaway is always being a "guy on the rise." That means continually getting better, fixing mental errors, and digging deep to win the "man vs. himself" battle.
When we say it, it sounds lame. When Tomlin says it, it should be recorded as an audio message and buried in a time capsule under Acrisure Stadium.
In the post-Big Ben era and in a semi-rebuilding phase, the Steelers are still fumbling in the dark trying to find their offensive blueprint for the future, yet they're lucky to have one of the all-time most consistent coaches at the helm. Pitted against teams with rising quarterbacks like Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson in a cutthroat AFC North, the Steelers don't possess nearly as much win-now potential as their rivals but they do have their true North Star that is Mike Tomlin.
If 2022 rookie Kenny Pickett doesn't improve in the next several years, he could be gone. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada is saying all the right things to get himself fired. T.J. Watt may soon call it quits on his fruitful career. Every single member of this team is replaceable — except for Tomlin.
As long as the future Hall-of-Famer is calling the shots, Pittsburgh's spirit will never die.
