‘Consistency’: Ryan Clark Gushes Over Mike Tomlin’s Coaching

At one point this year, the Pittsburgh Steelers looked like they were heading toward a top-5 pick in the draft, but as Mike Tomlin-led teams tend to do, they got better. The Steelers have won five of their last seven games after starting the season 2-6 and are miraculously still alive in the playoff hunt. Pittsburgh needs a ton of help to get into the postseason, but they could extend the impressive Mike Tomlin 15-year non-losing season streak by defeating the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns to finish the season (or at least record one tie to go 8-8-1).

So what is it about Tomlin that allows him to continue to win even when he has a subpar roster? Former Steelers free safety Ryan Clark thinks it’s all about consistency and never wavering. Or as Tomlin likes to say not blinking in the face of adversity.

“I think it’s consistency. It’s (an) unwavering belief in who he is and what he knows and the way that he can communicate that to his team,” Clark said on ESPN’s Get Up. “The messaging never changes from Coach Tomlin, because he believes in it that much. He feels that there are certain ways to go out and compete. There are certain ways to finish football games, to prepare for football games. And he doesn’t think that changes week to week. He doesn’t think that’s a difference between the first week of the season and the Super Bowl, and he knows that because he’s been to two Super Bowls.”

Tomlin’s emotions never really change no matter the success or adversity of the team. It’s always a business-like approach. He won’t get too high when the Steelers are winning, just as he won’t point fingers and throw people under the bus when they’re losing. Supporting and sticking with Matt Canada earlier this year speaks to that.

“If you win a huge game, is Coach Tomlin excited about it? Absolutely. But he comes in on Wednesday morning and it’s the exact same thing. If you lose a big game, is he disappointed about it? Absolutely. But he comes in on Wednesday morning and he’s exactly the same way,” Clark said. “But as a player understanding and knowing that your coach will always be the same no matter what the level of emotion is within the building, that’s something you can count on. And he’s been that for this team, for this organization for the last decade and a half.”