PITTSBURGH — The category: NFL coaches and general managers.
The assignment: Name the most powerful men in the sport.
I'll start:
1. Jerry Jones
He isn't just general manager of the Dallas Cowboys. He owns the team, which was valued by Forbes at $5.7 billion in 2021, the most lucrative franchise in sports. He oozes power.
2. Bill Belichick
He makes every important decision for the New England Patriots. Six Super Bowl wins speak for themselves. So what if he had Tom Brady as his quarterback?
3. Andy Reid
Winning equals power. Patrick Mahomes equals winning for the Kansas City Chiefs.
4. Mike Tomlin
I believe you are familiar with his work.
I know a strong case can be made for other general managers. The Los Angeles Rams' Les Snead. Buffalo's Brandon Beane. There also are other powerful head coaches. Baltimore's John Harbaugh. Seattle's Pete Carroll. The Rams' Sean McVay.
But I'm comfortable putting Tomlin high on the list. I see his clout increasing now that longtime, highly regarded Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert has retired and is being replaced by a combination of general manager Omar Khan — a salary-cap specialist — and new personnel men Andy Weidl and Sheldon White.
I'm OK with that. I think Tomlin isn't just powerful. I think he's a really good coach. Most football people nationally seem to share that belief even though Tomlin, who is signed through the 2024 season, doesn't get that same respect in Pittsburgh. Many Steelers fans wish he had been fired years ago.
Be careful what you wish for.
I get that Tomlin's 15 seasons here have been something of a mixed bag.
GOOD — Tomlin has won a lot of regular-season games since coming into the NFL in 2007 — 154, to be exact — more than any coach but Belichick during that time. He never has had a losing season. He has won one Super Bowl and been to another.
BAD — Tomlin hasn't won a playoff game in five years and has just three postseason wins since 2010, the Steelers' most recent Super Bowl season.
GOOD — Tomlin has had strong voice, along with Colbert, in the drafting and signing of players. Highlights include the 2017 draft class of T.J. Watt, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Cam Sutton and James Conner, the signing of Joe Haden as a free agent and the trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick.
BAD — Not every move by Tomlin/Colbert paid off. I think of free-agent bust Melvin Ingram and the trade for Joe Schobert last season. Artie Burns and Jarvis Jones were wasted No. 1 picks. It looks as if Devin Bush might be another.
GOOD — Tomlin generally has his team ready to play and is just fine as a strategist. We see his warts — clock-management, etc. — but every coach has them. Tomlin's players never give up on a season and are always in the playoff hunt. I still can't believe the Steelers went 8-8 in 2019 with Mason Rudolph and Duck Hodges at quarterback.
BAD — Tomlin has had some brutal playoff losses. To Denver and Tim Tebow after a 12-4 season in 2011. To Jacksonville and Blake Bortles at home after a 13-3 season in 2017. To Cleveland and Baker Mayfield at home after a 12-4 season in 2020.
GOOD — In just about every survey of NFL players, Tomlin is the top choice as a coach the players would most like to play for. I think of something Haden said of Tomlin a year ago: "He's just a leader of men. He does everything the right way. I just love coach Tomlin and everything he stands for."
BAD — Not all players have loved Tomlin after joining the Steelers. Ingram was the latest to quit on the team last season and get moved out of town. LeGarrette Blount, Martavis Bryant, and James Harrison, eventually, are others. And, of course, Antonio Brown.
GOOD — Perhaps no other coach would have taken a chance on Brian Flores because of his lawsuit against the NFL. Give Tomlin credit for bringing him in as senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach in February. Flores should help a run defense that was worst in the NFL last season.
BAD — Tomlin hasn't found a capable offensive line coach since Hall of Famer Mike Munchak left for Denver after the 2019 season. Shaun Sarrett lasted two seasons. Adrian Klemm didn't even last one last season before bailing to take a job at Oregon. Maybe latest-hire Pat Meyer will be Tomlin's answer with a unit that has been worst on the team.
As for offensive coordinator Matt Canada? It's still to be determined if he ends up in the good or bad category. Tomlin stuck with him after a rough season in 2021. A lot of other coaches would have fired him.
All things considered, Tomlin isn't perfect. But what NFL coach is? Who among us is?
Steelers fans should be glad to have Tomlin.
Tomlin has been the face of the Steelers franchise for a long time. Colbert didn't need his ego stroked and was content to do his outstanding work in the background. Colbert insisted that Tomlin be the only management voice heard during the season.
But it's hard to imagine Tomlin not picking up at least some additional personnel power with Khan and the new staff. Khan spoke almost reverentially of him last week when he was hired as general manager: "To step in this job and know you're going to be working with coach Tomlin is a dream come true. I don't know anyone who has a greater passion for the game than Mike Tomlin."
Bottom line?
Maybe you like Tomlin, maybe you don't.
Either way, you're about to get even more of him.
