Mike Tomlin Reveals One of His Biggest Coaching Regrets

PITTSBURGH — Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt are the quintessential Pittsburgh Steelers of this era for their team, but the playoff success of those in the past has not come with them. That is part of the lack of playoffs over the past seven seasons in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers have not seen professional success since their offense was one of the most explosive in the NFL under the Killer B’s. Mike Tomlin has always strived to lead those great players to the promised land.

With Heyward’s career winding down and Watt only getting older, is there more urgency to make the magic happen now? Tomlin says there is some, but he always moves with that urgency. Within that statement, he reflected back on the fact that Maurkice Pouncey never hoisted a Lombardi Trophy while with the Steelers, and that is one of his biggest professional regrets.

“I think I always move in that urgency. You know, I think you can point to guys like that annually that are deserving of being champions, and you want them to have that taste. It’s probably one of my biggest regrets professionally is that Maurkice Pouncey, for example is not a world champion because that guy is. And so, that is a motivating factor for me certainly, but continually it is,” Tomlin said.

Mike Tomlin has always talked about getting special players that championship. Pouncey was one of those, but he never saw that title. They did reach the Super Bowl with Pouncey during his rookie season, but Pouncey only made it back to the AFC Championship from that point on. And Pouncey never actually got to play in the Super Bowl, given he was injured.

Pouncey played 11 seasons in the NFL, all of which were with the Pittsburgh Steelers after the team selected him in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of Florida. He started all 134 games he played for the Steelers over his career, as he was a day-one starter at center as a rookie in the 2010 season, after which Pouncey and the team reached Super Bowl XLV. Pouncey missed the game with an ankle injury.

Pouncey made the Pro Bowl nine times and has also been a five-time Associated Press All-Pro, with first-team honors in 2011, 2012 and 2014. He was also a member of the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team, largely giving him Hall of Fame credentials.