Former Steelers Pro Bowler unveils emotional response to Mike Tomlin’s decision to step down as head coach in Pittsburgh
Ryan Shazier showed why Mike Tomlin was so beloved by his players.
For all of the discourse that Mike Tomlin generated during his time as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the vast majority of his players have had nothing but good things to say about him. In the days following his resignation, the outpouring of support from his former players has been potent.
Then came the response from former Steelers Pro Bowler Ryan Shazier, who showed the world how strong the relationship was between him and the now former Steelers head coach.
Ryan Shazier details relationship with Mike Tomlin in letter
“Two decades of leading this organization with an unshakable belief and a standard that never wavered. Coach Tomlin, you changed my life in ways that go beyond football. From the moment you drafted me, you saw something in me and pushed me to be great. Those late-night film sessions, just you and me, grinding through defensive schemes when everyone else went home. That meant everything.”
“What you did in that hospital room, holding linebacker meetings from my bedside, never letting me feel alone for a single second, that’s when I realized you weren’t just my coach. You were family. You kept me on the roster for three years while I fought to walk again. Never once made me feel like I was anything less than a Steeler. And then this year, when I didn’t know what was next, you brought me back home to your coaching staff.”
“You believed in me again. You gave Pittsburgh 19 years of unwavering leadership and never compromised on what this organization stands for. Thank you for seeing me when I was 21. Thank you for holding me up when I was 25 and couldn’t move my legs. Thank you for giving me purpose again at 32. You made me believe. #Shalieve forever, coach.”
It’s one thing to be a players coach. It’s another to go the extra mile. Shazier is the most notable of Tomlin’s former players to show how much Coach Tomlin did for them, but former Steelers WR Ryan Switzer has detailed what Mike Tomlin did for his family in times of hardship as well.
The bottom line is that the Steelers and Mike Tomlin will always be connected. Sure, the last nine years didn’t produce the results that are required in Pittsburgh, but Coach Tomlin served with excellence for almost 20 years, and Ryan Shazier is the latest to prove that.
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