Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Taylor Lewan recently addressed his future while on the Steel Here podcast with Kevin Adams and Jersey Jerry. His comments suggested that a real interest in playing for Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers could be there.
The nine-year NFL veteran recalled the experience of playing for Tomlin in the Pro Bowl a few years ago and how it left him wondering what it would be like to do so in a more competitive manner.
“He is a fantastic individual,” Taylor Lewan said of the Steelers’ longtime leader. “I think he is so cool, he’s calm, I hear the guys talk about him and how great he is in the locker room … Being a leader of men is a very difficult thing to do and when I was around him for that short week in a very calm and relaxing setting, I thought to myself, ‘Man, this is a cool coach to play for.'”
Blocking in Tomlin’s offense would actually be one of his preferences if he becomes a free agent this off-season, it seems.
“You sit there, you see them, you see the continuity and all the things they do,” Lewan said. “It’s like, damn, bro, that would be a very cool locker room to be in. A very cool locker room to be in … If I was to make a list of head coaches that I’d like to play for, Mike would definitely be in the top part of that list.”
Lewan’s current relationship with the Titans — or lack of one — leaves him to logically believe he won’t be in Nashville come next fall.
“Not a whole lot of conversation,” Lewan said. “It’s kind of like you’re in a limbo period. People get to the combine and then agents will do their little talking … There’s that ‘game within the game’ type vibe off the football field and you don’t know.”
Whether or not he’ll continue wearing shoulder pads and a helmet is a matter that he’ll decide on in the coming months. Health is also a question, as he’s dealt with knee ligament injuries in two of the last three go-rounds.
“I’d say all options are open right now,” Lewan said. “It’s been a phenomenal career … I’ve fortunately been able to play this game long enough to achieve those things. But, yeah, there’s probably still a fire that burns in me to play football a little bit.”
He wants to first check off the boxes that he can still be a dominant blocker and whether it’s more of a benefit or a detriment to his family to keep going.
“It’s not a secret — anybody can look at my contract — I’ve done well,” Lewan said. “It’s not a ‘look at me’ thing. That’s just the numbers. It is what it is. Things are good. I have to, like, kind of recalibrate being 31 years old, turning 32 in July, where are my values at? If I can go and play football at a high level, the way I want to play football — the way I play football is not for longevity reasons.”
Lewan revels in diving into piles and protecting his quarterback at any cost. The Steelers’ line could use the tenacity and polarizing style of play.
He asked if leadership on the front might be lacking, such as that Pittsburgh used to have from Alejandro Villanueva, David DeCastro, and Maurkice Pouncey.
“Those guys were just grit and spit and determination,” Lewan said. “Those are the three characteristic keys you need for an offensive line. They had that. Now, you have a younger offensive line … Is it just young? Is it truly lacking fire? Or is it because you’re so used to the Pittsburgh Steelers being a great offensive line?”
This is the second time that Lewan has hinted towards wanting to don the black and gold. Two weeks ago, he replied on Twitter to a photoshopped image of him in a Steelers jersey, saying “Those colors [go so] hard.”