Mike Tomlin isn’t looking for reassurance, and as the NFL’s longest-serving head coach, he isn’t offering any either.
This attitude extends to his players, his bosses, and everyone else involved.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, following a directive from team president Art Rooney II, overhauled their offense during the offseason to score more points, bringing in quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
But Tomlin isn’t ready to make any promises about improvement for 2024 before the season starts.
“I’m more of a doer than a talker,” Tomlin said. “Talking positively, especially when you’re unbeaten at this time of year, is easy, and I’m not interested in easy.”
That’s fortunate, because the situation is likely to be challenging. Wilson, who had a calf injury slow him down during the early part of training camp, aggravated it on Thursday.
His availability for Sunday’s season opener at Atlanta is uncertain, which reflects the ongoing uncertainty at the quarterback position since Ben Roethlisberger retired over two years ago.
Gone are Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Matt Canada, Mason Rudolph, and Diontae Johnson.
In their place are Wilson, who is trying to maintain his career, and Fields, who aims to prove himself after a difficult stint in Chicago.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who was fired as Falcons head coach in January, is also part of the new setup, along with receivers Van Jefferson and Scotty Miller, who come with Super Bowl experience but not a lot of recent success.
With so many changes, it’s no wonder there’s a lot of “angst” as Tomlin described it before Week 1. The Steelers have experienced more turnover than usual for a team known for its stability, and the outcome remains uncertain, adding to the excitement and stress.
“It’s a league that changes often, and our job is to solve problems,” Smith said. “A big part of this is building chemistry, getting to know people, and understanding how they think while figuring out what works best for you.”
Smith is familiar with this challenge. Wilson or Fields will be the fifth different starting quarterback Smith has used for Week 1 in the last five years. He believes a key part of his role is quickly building trust with whichever player is the starting quarterback.
This process requires flexibility and a lot of honesty, which can be hard to achieve early on in a relationship with a player.
“When you’re new, you’re trying to prove yourself,” he said. “You need to let your guard down a bit and have real conversations. … You’re looking for the truth.”
For the Steelers entering 2024, the truth is that everything is uncertain.
Pittsburgh made the playoffs last season despite having an offense that ranked 25th in yards and 28th in points. To end a playoff win drought that dates back to 2016, they need to be more effective on offense.
They will face this challenge with a fairly inexperienced offensive line, a lead running back in Najee Harris who is playing in a contract year after the team chose not to pick up his fifth-year option, and a passing game that remains uncertain until it shows improvement.
Tomlin is among those who are unsure about the team’s wide receivers beyond Pickens and tight end Pat Freiermuth. While Miller and Jefferson both have Super Bowl titles—Miller with Tampa Bay in 2020 and Jefferson with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021—they were primarily role players.
