Coach Mike Tomlin Press Conference (Preseason Week 2 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers) | Pittsburgh Steelers

Coach Mike Tomlin Press Conference (Preseason Week 2 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers) | Pittsburgh Steelers

Good afternoon. Uh really excited about this preseason matchup against the Bucks. Um equally as excited about the work that we get an opportunity to get done here today with them uh in a practice setting. Um the work that we do will be normal work that we do. We’re following our normal practice schedule uh in terms of the drill work, but it’s just good to do it against some unfamiliar faces uh to get that experience of going against maybe some unfamiliar schemes and just seeing our adaptability both as players and coaches and as a collective. Um it’s just a lot of really good work that you get when you get an opportunity to work with a practice partner. got a lot of respect for coach BS and staff and so I expect it to be a highly competitive and highly productive day. Um they got some top quality players. It’s just really good to to pitch your talents against theirs in a practice setting. We’re going to do various forms of situational ball. Um I was just talking to the team this morning how special Mike Evans is in the tight red zone for example. And so we get an opportunity to play some tight red zone ball against a guy like that. Um, obviously we’re gonna have some team run periods. We got to block a guy like VTV um or deal with an experienced linebacker man like Levante David who has done it at a really high level for a long time. And so it’s just really good at at this stage of collective development to be put in a different environment against some different people and get presented some different challenges but kind of, you know, do the things that we do on a day-to-day basis during this time of year. And so that’s why I’m excited about today. Um, Saturday night. Um, I’m also excited about getting an opportunity for some preseason ball in our home venue. Um, another step in development. It’s reasonable to expect us to be more varsity in in our operations. And by that I mean, you know, pre- snap penalties and things that are within our control, how we function, how we communicate, hopefully the cleanliness of play. Um although for a first time out we we weren’t overly sloppy in some of those areas the last time which is a good thing. It’s just no substitute for instadium environments in terms of some of those things. We got some really good situational ball the first time around. We got a two-minute drive on offense in the first half. We got two-minute sequence with defense in the second half. And so really excited about taking a step in some of those areas. As far as anticipated uh play time, I’m going to play this preseason game very much like we did the first one. In terms of participation, the same collection of guys that were held out the last time will comprise the guys that are held out this time. Uh those include Aaron Rogers and DK Metaf. Uh um Jaylen Warren. Uh the two tight ends, Muth and Janu. Um Isaac Smallo on the offensive line on the defensive side of the ball. Um the three edge guys, TJ, um Highmith, maybe I’ll let Herbick play a little bit. It depends on how much quality work he gets today. Um Cam won’t play. Um Pat Queen won’t play. Um those those core secondary guys that I held out last time, I will hold out this time. Again, we’ll make our decisions on a week-toeek basis based on development and performance. Um, as I’ve mentioned repeatedly in this process, different guys for a variety of reasons need different amounts of work in an effort to be ready and an effort for us to evaluate their talent level or what they’re capable of. some of those veteran guys I mentioned been doing it uh for a long time and particularly at a high level coupled with the fact I’ve liked what I’ve seen from them um in a practice setting is a reason why sometimes I move that collective out of the way um to provide more snaps uh for others and they can develop skill and show talents and so um largely we’re going to play this game in terms of participation very similar to we played uh very similar to how we played game on uh we’ll make decisions regarding next week next week based on the totality of a lot of things. But that’s where we are right here as we sit here today. Excited about the opportunity uh for those that do play uh opportunity to take a step forward, particularly those that are um in their first NFL experience, man. It’s reasonable to expect those guys to to to make a dramatic step between first experience and second experience. guys like Caleb Johnson and others, man, we expect to really take a step and and show growth and and more importantly, let their talent show. Uh that’ll be enough of me talking. I’ll pause and open up for questions. You like uh you saw a lot from your past game, your play actually game last week. Would you like to see more from your run game? Focus maybe a little bit more on that. You know, the last time we wanted to make sure that we we we saw a good sampling of Mason Rudolph versus versus their their first unit. They were playing their first unit there early on. Um, and so, you know, our agenda may change this week, but a lot of it has to do with, you know, maybe how they choose to play it. They, meaning the Bucks, meaning who they play, and and the schematics they deploy. Um, but largely, we’re in this mindset that we’re going to play this game similarly to we played to how we played the last one. Is anybody out there due to injury? Is anybody out due to injury? Potentially, but I, you know, in the preseason, man, 48 hours plus is a long way away. And so I don’t want to exclude anyone at this juncture. Uh we’ll make those decisions at the 11th hour, you know, Friday evening, Saturday morning, even regarding who’s available and who’s not from an injury perspective. It’s dayto-day this time of year. One thing we want to do is definitively give guys an opportunity to participate in the game. For example, Ryan McCullum is a partial participant today. He’s got an opportunity to maybe be a full participant Saturday night. And so I’ll just simply live day by day and see and see how it goes. But that’s just one example of it. Uh those are the decisions that happen this time of year. We don’t have to present participation um list and things of that nature like you do in the regular season and so we’re able to carry it to the 11th hour. Mike, anything specifically you want to see from Caleb this time around? I just want to see him trust himself more. I want to see um him play more instinctually, trust his talents. Um and that’s reasonable to to expect between the first experience and the second experience. Mike Rogers said that when he was on the headset last week that he was the voice of reason, sometimes the comic relief. What did he add on the headset during that preseason game? Nothing. Nothing official. Um we just wanted him to hear how we function. We felt felt that’d be beneficial in terms of him getting a sense of how we function and communicate and so forth. Um and so nothing official in terms of his ad. Mike, you often talk about guys taking advantage of opportunities. What have you seen Roman Wilson do in the absence of Calvin Austin during your practices? You know, I think his performance has zero to do with Calvin to be honest with you. His performance is about his growth and development and I like the trajectory of it. Um he’s made plays when called upon. Uh he’s hardworking and available day in and day out. He brings a good can do attitude. Um he’s an example of a secondyear guy that that although he didn’t have a lot of playing experience from last year, it’s his second year in the program and it and it should show and it has. I can’t recall if you mentioned Calvin in your opening. Is he is he his availability is based on health and so we’ll see. Will all healthy players work today? I think you guys might have helped TJ out last year for the joint. All healthy players are scheduled to work today. Mike, you mentioned Mike Evans and the threat that he’s in the red zone. When you have a lot of capable corners and guys who are kind of alphas who want that match up against number one kind of wide receiver, what are some of the conversations like in terms in that room? There not a whole lot of conversations. Jaylen’s going to get it. Some people may hate it and I love that competitive spirit in the collective, but I think it’s already been decided. Is Joey one of those people hate it? You can name whoever you want to name. Uh, you know, competitive young people want the matchup. Um, but it’s already been decided. Like you mentioned, any uh Tom Moore stories? I don’t personally. Obviously, I’ve known and respected coach for a long time, man. And, um, I respect his relationship with the game. you don’t do it as long as he’s done it uh and continue to do it without a awesome unbelievable relationship and passion and respect for this game. Like you mentioned before you left the trobe, the defense has a potential to be historic. What specifically would that involve? I I wasn’t talking specifics. I was just talking about the ingredients that I’m looking at. Obviously, there’s a lot of ground between now and then and effort and and and work and so forth. And so, uh, I simply was answering a question. Um, I wasn’t trying to make any bold predictions, certainly, and I definitely wasn’t trying to outline what that might be in any level of detail. Um, it’s just too much work in front of us, uh, to do that. U, what I meant by it is I like our collection of talent. I like our development of schematics to this point in the journey. It feels really good. There’s a lot of talk about going to 18 games and two preseason games at some point in the future. Are practices like today a good enough substitute for a shortened preseason? I’m really not ready to have an opinion on those hypotheticals. I’m just trying to get this group ready in 2025 and I hadn’t thought about to any great detail the possibilities of those things where I could give you a credible answer. You talked about the potential of playing or the excitement of playing Vita. Of course, he lines up with Kaji Ky, a guy that’s been different in size and skills first you saw. What does the excitement give your you to see your young offensive line against two different guys at D tackle that are that different of skill sets? It’s just an example of what ball is like in our league and the challenges that you face week in and week out and and probably equally as important the specialization. Um some guys are run stoppers, some guys are pass specialists. Um you got to be ready to face a a a myriad of specialized talent week in and week out. Some of it comes in the form of 4-3 structure which is a different animal. um those edge players are closer to 300 lb. Some of it comes in the form of of three four structure. Those edge players are closer to 250 260 pounds. And so the challenges are different week in and week out, but that’s that’s just ball at this level. How is your how’s the way you’ve handled the preseason over the years evolved? Obviously going from four preseason games a long time ago to now three. How how do you handle it or is it just yearby year? It’s evolved in a natural way, but it’s also evolved in a reactionary sort of way. uh the rules that govern what it is that we do, how we put our calendar calendars together, how we work, the amount of work we’re allowed, etc. The time of hours a day that we get with the guys, all of that has changed over the course of my 19 years here. And so, some of it has evolved in a natural way due to due to knowledge and experience. Some of it has just simply been reactionary to to change in regulations. um you know, I never even kind of look at it in in that in that framework. I really just look at the tools at my disposal in terms of readying this group um and the guidelines I have to subscribe to in an effort to do so. And so um I don’t think I waste a lot of time comparing this group’s preparation to one 15 years ago because it’s not apples and apples. Mike, are you anticipating this being Aaron’s preseason today? Again, I’ll deal with next week next week. Nice try. Coach, um, in terms of I know you can’t get specifics of guys on the roster bubble or but cut down day, I mean, are there a lot of guys really impressing you where it’s going to be a hell of a choice to make? It really is. Um, and I like to describe it as, you know, when you get a good 90 together, you got a chance to put together a good 53 and there’s no question uh that this is a good 90. Um, it’s been highly competitive. Um, I’ve seen growth and development particularly in a lot of the younger and newer guys to us and to the league. And so, um, it’s certainly going to be some tough decisions, but it’s their job to make it tough decisions and they’ve done it. Um, but I also acknowledge that we have a lot of ball in front of us between now and then. Um, the cutdowns uh, have changed um, over the 19 years that I’ve been here in terms of the decisions that you have to make and when and how many. And so, um, haven’t even begin to look at it from that perspective because we got a lot of quality days between now and those decisions. Do you go in the spring or the offseason saying I want to schedule one of these these joints or has that had to be a good fit, somebody to come to you, a coach? It it I’m always open, but it but it has to be a good dance partner. Um, and and obviously the Bucks are a good dance partner. Coach BS and company are a good dance partner. Um Sean McDermott and the Buffalo Bills were a good dance partner a year ago, my former college teammate. And so um I’m always open um but only if it if it fits and works scheduling and and an opponent. Are you open to dancing at their venues in the future in a preseason for a joint practice? Depends on what the what the schedule is. That’s somewhat hypothetical. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. I think a couple players said last year your rule with the Bills was if you fight, you’re just done for the day. Is that the case? Again, I’m not worried about fights happening. I’m I’m looking forward to a really productive day of work and I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Two more. Mike, Aaron said the other day when talking about the joint practices that it helps when you’ve got maybe a veteran team on the other side of it when you’re talking about the right ingredients because those guys are just maybe about the work as opposed to the extracurriculars. And in your experience, does that make a good dance partner? Again, guys, I’m I have zero reservations about the extracurriculars, although I know it’s fun and interesting for you guys to report on. That’s not why we’re here today. We’re here to have a really good, productive football day against a worthy opponent and sharpen our skills and get collectively and individually better, right? But does does a does a more does a more veteran team maybe serve as a more attractive opponent in these circumstances? Again, by dance partner, usually I’m talking about coaching staff, their schematics, um, and things of that nature, and less about the collective age or experience of the of the group. All right. Thanks. Thanks, guys.

Coach Mike Tomlin speaks ahead of the Steelers preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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