Steelers HC Mike Tomlin has a flaw that no one talks about
Mike Tomlin has done about all you can do as a head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Titles, winning seasons, draft picks… you name it, he's accomplished it. Yet there's one area of his coaching legacy that still falls short: No Coaching Tree Despite all the success that Tomlin has accrued over his career, he […]
Mike Tomlin has done about all you can do as a head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Titles, winning seasons, draft picks… you name it, he's accomplished it.
Yet there's one area of his coaching legacy that still falls short:
No Coaching Tree
Despite all the success that Tomlin has accrued over his career, he has virtually no coaching tree to speak of. Granted, he is a defensive-minded head coach, which is something that limits the branches of growth per se. But so is Bill Belichick and he's produced former head coaches including Brian Flores, Matt Patricia, and Joe Judge.
Ben Solak of The Ringer also noted this on a recent episode of The Ringer NFL Show:
"Throughout the league, there's like, maybe one branch, like maybe one or two connections and that's really it. Largely the defensive coaches are siloed right?" Asked Solak. "Mike Tomlin has been a head coach since 2007. He has a defensive background and he doesn't have a tree to speak of. There's no head coach in the league right now, who came from Mike Tomlin."
So the question is, does Mike Tomlin lack the ability to groom coaches? Or are defensive head coaches just at a natural disadvantage to produce head coaching candidates?
Surely Belichick is the exception to the rule, but if Mike Tomlin wants to start placing himself in that stratosphere, a few more promotions from his coordinators would help.
Steelers UDFA may push incumbent for key roster spot
See which potential roster battle should be gaining more attention
Featured image via: © Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
