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Steelers HC Mike Tomlin: An Uncomfortable M.O.M. for Christ

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin: An Uncomfortable M.O.M. for Christ

Last updated on: January 12, 2025 at 11:01 am by Electi A Deo

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Steelers HC Mike Tomlin: An Uncomfortable M.O.M. for Christ 2025-01-12T11:01:34-05:00 Electi A Deo

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Mike Tomlin at Pittsburgh Steelers Home Opener - Steelers beat the Bills 26 - 3. This was the 500th win for the Steelers sporting the 75th year "Throwback" uniforms.

Mike Tomlin at Pittsburgh Steelers Home Opener – Steelers beat the Bills 26 – 3. This was the 500th win for the Steelers sporting the 75th year “Throwback” uniforms. This picture was taken by SteelCityHobbies on September 16, 2007. This image was downloaded from Wikimedia Common on January 10, 2025.

With the National League Football (NFL) playoffs starting this weekend, I believe it’s fitting to highlight Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin. Tomlin led the Steelers into their second consecutive playoff appearance with a 10-7 record.

They lost to the Ravens and some spectators may not find the Steelers 2024 regular season record impressive since other teams have more wins. While this season didn’t end with a Super Bowl, Tomlin has cultivated a culture where the Steelers have yet to have a losing season under his leadership of 18 years. That is a remarkable accomplishment.

What is it about Mike Tomlin that compels his athletes to give their best on the field?

Before answering this question, let’s look at Tomlin’s upbringing, collegiate career and coaching resume.

Mike Tomlin’s Background

His Upbringing and Collegiate Career

Mike Tomlin was born on March 12, 1972 in Hampton, VA. He is the youngest son of Ed and Julia Tomlin.

One may think Tomlin walks in his father’s footsteps. This is because Ed Tomlin played football at Hampton Institute and in the Canadian Football League.

Unfortunately, this is not the case as Ed and Julia broke up before Tomlin was a year old. So, Tomlin was raised by his mother, maternal grandparents and step father.

He became an honor student while attending Denbigh High School because his mother stressed the importance of education.

Academic and athletic excellence opened doors for Tomlin to attend the College of William and Mary College on a football scholarship.

As a student, Tomlim earned a degree in sociology. Athletically, Tomlin became a three year start wide receiver obtaining:

101 receptions.
2,046 yards
20 touchdown catches (4th most in school history).
William & Mary’s record for catches in a single season with 25.5 yards per catch.
William & Mary’s record for yards per reception career wise with 20.1 yards.

Coaching Resume from 1996-2006

Though a three star wide receiver at William and Mary, Tomlin did not achieve his goal of playing in the NFL. Thankfully, Tomlin’s failed aspirations do not hinder God’s ability to order his steps (Proverbs 16:9, New King James Version).

Tomlin began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Memphis Tigers in 1996. He spent the next four years as a wide receiver coach and defensive backs coach for Arkansas State and Cincinnati.

Though only experiencing one winning season in collegiate coaching roles, Coach Tomlin became the recipient of the Bill Walsh Fellowship. The fellowship gave him the opportunity to work with the Cleveland Browns in 2000.

From there, Tomlin would go on to spend five seasons as a DB coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (winning in the Superbowl in 2002). He also spent one year as the Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator.

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin

Since 2007, Tomlin has been the Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach. At the time of his hiring, Tomlin became only the third coach hired by the team since 1969.

During his tenure thus far, he has led the franchise to a 183-107-2 record. Currently, he stands as the second young coach to win the Superbowl and the fastest Steelers Coach to accomplish the feat.

Other notable accomplishments Tomlin have been able to obtain during his tenure include

Being one of our active coaches to have over 160 regular season victories.
Being one of five coaches to defeat 31 teams.
Leading the 2021 Steelers to lead the NFL in sacks (55) and Red Zone defense.
Becoming the eighth coach in NFL history to win 100 games in ten seasons.
Being a part of the third coach and quarterback pair (with Ben Roethlisberger) in NFL history to win 127 games.

What Fuels the Pittsburgh Steelers Success?

Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

The above accolades do not capture the full scope of success Tomlin has had during his tenure. With that being said, they do cause me to wonder what fuels the Steelers’ success.

One source of motivation is Coach Mike Tomlin’s determination to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. During an interview with the Pivot, Coach Tomlin talks about how he rejects anything that feels like comfort.

Comfort in Coach Tomlin’s eyes refers to excuses and past success. He refuses to lean on these crutches because he knows becoming complacent in the NFL can cause one to go from success to unemployment.

King Solomon might agree with this philosophy as he says laziness leads to poverty. On a deeper level, King David and Sampson show complacency among Christian leaders could lead to moral failures.

Seeing coach Tomlin resist comfort teaches the Steelers they must consistently work hard to maintain success. Consequently, losing seasons have not been a part of the team’s culture.

Coach Mike Tomlin a M.O.M.?

What is ingrained in the Steelers culture is freedom to be one’s self. Coach Tomlin allows his players to be themselves so he can learn how to teach and build rapport with them .

One way this manifests in his coaching style is by learning their fears, triggers and motivations through listening. Ryan Clark mentions a time he didn’t play well and Coach Tomlin made passive remarks during a meeting.

Clark felt comfortable enough to go to Coach Tomlin and express his preference for direct feedback when he makes mistakes. This transparency has helped them maintain a great relationship ten years after Clark’s retirement from the NFL.

Stories like this and Tomlin’s approach explain why many Steelers refer to him as a M.O.M (Motivator Of Men).

Another way Mike Tomlin acts as M.O.M is by striving to practice what he preaches and leading the way he desires to by led. Hearing this makes me think of scriptures like Matthew 5:16; 6:1;7:12.

Matthew uses these verses to stress the importance of glorifying God and respecting others through your actions. This is crucial for coaches because no athlete will buy into the team’s vision over the long haul once they realize the leader is unauthentic.

The Fatherless Father Figure

Investing in Future Generations

Along with desiring to be the best example for his players, Mike Tomlin also strives to practice what he preaches because of the youth he mentors. Tomlin’s heart mentorship comes from men like his childhood coaches who were upstanding citizens.

Tomlin repays their efforts by investing in youth through various efforts like

Supporting The Hampton Roads Youth Foundation.
Volunteering at his kids sports events.
Inviting youth to the Steelers Practices.
Addressing fatherlessness through The Man Up Pittsburgh Project.

By taking the time to invest in youth through initiatives that address fatherlessness, Tomlin has an opportunity to live out Titus 2:6-7. This is valuable because all young males need positive examples demonstrating how men of integrity conduct themselves.

Facing Fatherlessness

While Mike Tomlin is striving to be an exemplary man for those under his leadership, he’s still human. In his humanity, Tomlin admits becoming a father of three kids causes him to wrestle with fatherlessness.

This is because realizes what his childhood was lacking. Thankfully, the Lord is helping him navigate this journey with the help of faith communities like Allegheny Center Alliance Church.

My prayer for Mike Tomlin is that he will continue to cast this care upon his heavenly father because God cares about him (1 Peter 5:7). I also pray Tomlin will continue to be vulnerable with those he trusts and seek counseling to become the whole man his family and community needs.

Lastly, I hope he knows God is proud of him. Through his efforts, Tomlin is proving God is truly a father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5).

How does your favorite demonstrate their faith on and off the field? Your feedback is greatly appreciated!

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