Two seasons ago, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin took a college guard from Illinois, drafted him in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft and was almost immediately anointed as the team’s starting center and heir apparent to Maurkice Pouncey. Of course, we know this was Kendrick Green and we know this story didn’t have a happy ending.
So maybe this is why Tomlin has become so insistent that we practice patience in getting rookies on the field too soon. Even last season, quarterback Kenny Pickett didn’t start the season in the starting lineup even though everyone knew he would be there.
This season it is all about cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and offensive tackle Broderick Jones. Both guys have gotten a feel for the game with Jones actually getting a start but in his Tuesday presser, Tomlin insisted the team will continue to take its time in working either into more prominent roles.
I think what each week they all are. And so there’s several variables at play. It’s what it is that they do and the quality of which they do it, but it’s also the opportunity and such, as always the case in team play. Things and decisions don’t happen in a vacuum.
You could be somewhat pleased with the progress of a player in terms of the direction that they’re moving, but the opportunity has to be there. And so we challenge all of these guys to not be patient. This is not a patient person’s business. It doesn’t behoove them to be patient. We ask them to work while they wait for their opportunity. And then put their readiness on display.
And to this point, some of the guys that you’re asking about, Broderick Jones, Joey Porter, Jr. have done a really good job of that. And so we’ll wait for continued opportunities and increase the opportunities for them and and check their progress as we move forward.
Tomlin seems to be completely content with not putting the best players on the field to stick to his plan, even if that plan isn’t really working.
