PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Cam Heyward believes Mike Tomlin has been done a disservice with questions about his future. He wonders why everyone is so concerned about a coach who is under contract for next season?
Heyward says Tomlin has been locked in as any other year.
“This guy has been locked in from the very get-go, but yet we are worried if he’s coming back or not,” Heyward said.
He said it’s created dissention for the players and coaches hearing about all of this stuff. Heyward said the players just want to focus on one goal. Tomlin just wants to focus on one goal. He said that is what is fair to Tomlin.
The 13-year Steeler also defending his coach walking off the podium after the game on Monday to a question about his future.
“Why would he answer a question like that?” Heyward said Tuesday as the team cleaned out their lockers following the loss to Buffalo. “He’s worried about trying to win a playoff game. Last night, we just lost a big playoff game. Why does he need to address it now? It’s not the time or place.”
Heyward would say he appreciated the question, but that Tomlin has earned the opportunity to just focus about the game and not have to answer that question in a postgame news conference.
Same Tomlin
There have been no changes in Tomlin, per the defensive captain. He said his head coach remains consistent. He hasn’t changed who he is because of the talk on the outside.
What Heyward sees more than a different Tomlin, is a different execution. Focusing in on Monday’s loss to the Bills, he noted the big plays allowed, missed tackles. That’s not a preparation thing, it’s about guys doing their jobs.
“My thought is he will be the coach here,” Heyward said. “Mike T wants to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. Is a Pittsburgh Steeler. Why would anyone ask for anything else?”
Future
It’s an offseason to get healthy for the 34-year-old Heyward. He said he’s been dealing with his groin injury, which he said started with mini-tears in Day 1 of training camp. It eventually got to the point where the groin tore off the bone.
The former Pro Bowler said he took what is normally a 12-week process and turned it into six weeks because ‘I wanted to put my hand in the pile’ even though he was told he needed a whole offseason to recover.
He said he was able to get himself into games, but he put his body through a lot of pain. Heyward would do whatever he could just to make it to game day. All of the sitting out of practices, was just to get the injury to calm now.
“Of course, I want to play. In my mind, I want to play more than just one season,” Heyward said. “I just have to get healthy first.”
No playoff win
It’s been since 2017 in Kansas City that the Steelers earned a playoff win, he is one of a few in the building who experienced it. Heyward said more consistency is what the team needs to get over the hump of not just making the playoffs, but winning in the postseason. Health is another important part of them taking the next step.
“I think everybody has to understand we need to be trending upwards (going into camp next year),” Heyward said. “It can’t just be we come back and do the same things. That would make it even worse.”
Najee comments
Third-year tailback Najee Harris said the team lacked in-house rules and discipline. That it was different for him before coming to the Steelers and would like that to change.
Heyward said it’s more about just getting things done on the field.
“I’ve been around this team a lot,” Heyward said Tuesday. “He’s (Harris) come across things that were done a different way. I don’t know what is all done on the offensive side of the ball. More rules don’t get it done, playing better gets it done. Being accountable, yes, but making big plays and making big plays in big moments that’s what needs to get done.”