Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin isn’t afraid to go against the grain when it comes to becoming a broadcaster.
Usually, former coaches refrain from insulting the coaching staffs of NFL teams when they join the television industry. In the first three weeks of his time at NBC, that hasn’t been the case for Tomlin at all.
Advertisement
During NBC’s halftime coverage for “Sunday Night Football,” Tomlin questioned the Dallas Cowboys’ coverage on the penultimate play of the game against the Baltimore Ravens. They allowed the Ravens to drive down the field in six seconds to set up a game-winning field goal by Tyler Loop.
“I thought the sequence the Dallas Cowboys played at the end of the game was a little sloppy, to be quite honest with you,” Tomlin said. “There were seven seconds left in regulation. They hit a touchback, Baltimore gets the ball at the 35-yard line and they had this really important play in the middle of the field against their No. 1 receiver in Zay Flowers. … Certainly, strategically, I thought Dallas helped them in that circumstance.”
Although Tomlin didn’t mention Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer and defensive coordinator Christian Parker by name, it was pretty obvious he didn’t agree with their decisions late in the game.
Advertisement
October 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin drives against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Dallas won 20-17. Mandatory credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Tomlin’s remarks last Sunday were praised by the NFL world.
“Mike Tomlin has always had a unique ability to break down what’s going on in a way that resonates with all levels of football fans,” Eric Weinberger, former head of NFL Network, told Front Office Sports. “And it’s rare that a coach or player goes on TV and is the exact same person viewers saw when they were active. What we see and hear from Mike on TV is the same person he was before and after games with the Steelers. It’s refreshing.”
Advertisement
This isn’t a one-time thing for Tomlin.
After the Cleveland Browns lost their season opener to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tomlin mocked them, saying, “In the words of my friend JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Browns are the Browns.” »
Browns coach Todd Monken fired back at Tomlin after posting a Week 2 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“The Browns are going to be the Browns… F… that!” Monken said into the microphone. “The guys took it to heart.”
Advertisement
The Browns will face the Steelers this Thursday night. This game won’t be televised on NBC, but one has to imagine Tomlin will have something to say about it later this week.
This story was originally published by The yarn on September 29, 2026, where he first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as Favorite source by clicking here.
Gn headline
