PITTSBURGH (93.7 the Fan) Another day, another Pittsburgh Steelers face on the Pat McAfee Show.
Yesterday was Minkah Fitzpatrick talking about his trade to Pittsburgh and how he has adapted.
Today, head coach Mike Tomlin joined the Plum, PA native and discussed locker room culture and his teams' social media usage.
"For me more than anything I try and stay connected," Tomlin said. "Try and get a sense of where these guys are coming from."
Tomlin did avoid bringing up names and situations directly, but that may have been the correct way to go about the answer.
JuJu Smith-Schuster may still use Tik Tok, but it seemed to become an issue and media hale storm last season.
Tomlin continued to answer in a way that seems he's pretty open to the idea of his guys using social media however they want.
"I think being a parent kind of helps me. My boys are 19 and 20, not much difference between them and some of the younger guys I deal with here. For me its about gaining and understanding and staying connected."
Tomlin is notably not big on social media but does use Twitter on occasion.
He stated that he joined the platform to get a feel for it and get to know where his players are coming from and how they go about life.
"It's adapt or die for me. I don't want to be one of those old crusty guys that refuses to adapt."
Overall, it seems like Tomlin carries that attitude that he understands where players like Smith-Schuster or Chase Claypool are coming from on these new social media apps.
So long as their play doesn't take a backseat, of course.
A few questions later, Tomlin was asked about the story Hall of Fame coach Bill Cowher told during the Hall of Fame Game this past preseason.
Cowher mentioned that he left a can of Iron City Beer in the fridge for Tomlin to enjoy and get acquainted with the city.
When asked about the beer, Tomlin held up two fingers and said "Two cans of IC Light."
Tomlin went on to discuss what kind of meaning was left in those cans.
"Some of by best friends in college were Pittsburgh boys… So I knew what IC Light is. And what a gesture."
Cowher may not have realized it, but leaving some free beer for the next coach may have turned into a Pittsburgh coaching tradition.
"I decided that I would never drink it and I'd leave it for the next man," Tomlin said. "I didn't envision those cans would be 15 years old. It's kind of a ceremonial thing now, but those are my intentions."
Pour on the iron, Coach T.
