Steelers Super Bowl Champion Sends Message to Mike Tomlin Critics

A former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back stood behind head coach Mike Tomlin following the debut of Hard Knocks.

Dec 1, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The debut of HBO's Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North was on Tuesday night. The episode put a heavy emphasis on the Pittsburgh Steelers as they prepared for their Week 13 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals following a Week 12 loss to another divisional rival in the Cleveland Browns, and head coach Mike Tomlin was at the forefront of it all.

From rallying around and propping up players such as Nick Herbig and George Pickens to energizing the team and going in-depth into preparations for the Bengals game, Hard Knocks was successful in capturing the essence of Tomlin and the entire Steelers' culture from the jump.

Current ESPN analyst and former safety Ryan Clark, who played over parts of eight seasons for the Steelers, sent a message to any fans who have doubted Tomlin in the past after the show aired, stating that he's on another level as a coach when compared to some of his colleagues.

"Pittsburgh fans that want Mike Tomlin fired should watch 'Hard Knocks', & tell me who you want to play for in the AFC North," Clark wrote on X. "The man was prophetic speaking life into his team for the Bengals’ win. The clarity in which he delivers a message is far beyond his contemporaries."

A lot of the flak Tomlin gets thrown his way is based upon the fact that Pittsburgh has not won a playoff game since the 2016 season or taken home the Lombardi Trophy since the 2008 campaign.

The grass isn't always greener on the other side, however. Tomlin is among the most successful head coaches of all-time, as he's led the Steelers to 18 consecutive non-losing campaigns since he was hired in 2007, which is the third-longest streak in NFL history.

It's clear that all of his players have a ton of respect for him, and Hard Knocks has helped reinforce the notion that he's the right man for the job.

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