PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Aaron Rodgers said from his first day, one of the reasons he signed with the Steelers was because of Mike Tomlin. On Thursday, Rodgers elaborated on why he believes Tomlin is special.
One of the things Rodgers pointed out is Tomlin’s ability to get in front of the team for 30 minutes every day, always prepared and working without notes. He said Tomlin has the pulse of the team, and as important as what he does say, is what he doesn’t.
“I guess one of his greatest gifts as a head coach is that in my time here, a short time obviously, but I don't feel like he's ever tried to fill his space with unnecessary words,” Rodgers said Thursday. “And that might seem like a small thing, but it's actually a very meaningful thing. There's just sometimes the more words that are said, the more opportunities for panic or freak out that can happen. He's very concise and to the point with the objectives each week, with the opponent that we're playing and with the expectations for us as a football team.”
“I have a unique perspective, and guys who played elsewhere, have a unique perspective coming in here. But the guys that are here should understand how special it is to have a guy like that leading that perspective.”
Another strength that Rodgers believes Tomlin has is how there is not a lot of importance put on what is said outside of the locker room. There are multitudes of opinions about the Steelers and organization not only locally, but nationally, even globally. Rodgers said it was similar when he was having success in Green Bay.
“There aren't guys worried about what Twitter is saying or what the news was saying about certain people,” Rodgers said. “There were various times where I felt like I needed to say something, like run the table or relax. But those are individual periods.”
“We never doubted that we were gonna be in the mix in December (in Green Bay). And here I think it's the same thing. I don't think guys are too worried about getting in Twitter fights or you know, arguing about some of the outside narratives and that's a credit to the organizational structure as a whole from Mr. Rooney on down, putting the right people in place.”
Instead of the thought the Steelers hold on to coaches, players or anyone too long, Rodgers said it’s special in Pittsburgh that there isn’t a knee-jerk reaction immediately when you are not winning, you are out.
“I'm a firm believer if you if you choose the right people to lead and you have the right process, you don't have to make changes, you just deal with the ups and downs and don't make crazy reactions in the moment that you feel like are gonna you know make things better,” Rodgers said. “Because for the most part it leads to rebuilding or dysfunction that kinda can break some of the foundational characteristics of winning organizations like the Steelers are.”
Through the ups-and-downs of this season Rodgers said Tomlin hasn’t changed at all. He said there has to be something to Tomlin not having a losing season and that every team in the NFL is ‘looking for that special sauce of a coach who can lead and be consistent’.
Rodgers sees winning as something that is ingrained in the Steelers culture. It’s a foundational piece of the locker room and an expectation to win. He said it’s something they don’t have in New York.
“When you've been a place that has a history of excellence like Green Bay with the sixties on, like Pittsburgh with the seventies on, it's just kind of understood when you walk in the door that that winning is the most important thing,” Rodgers said. “And like the great Vincent Lombardi said, it’s the only thing that really matters.”
The arguments are understandable about not winning enough or not taking the next step. Rodgers said as for the present, the team’s current status, they are in first place in the division, no matter how they got there.
“It's nice to be playing meaningful football in December,” Rodgers said.