Coach Mike Tomlin on gym practice (July 29) | Pittsburgh Steelers

Coach Mike Tomlin on gym practice (July 29) | Pittsburgh Steelers

Good afternoon. Uh didn’t get what we were looking for today. Um but such as life in football and life in general. U at this stage of team development, you can always extract some positives out of all circumstances. It gave us an opportunity to take it to the gym and and work through our walkthrough format, the things that we get done in those in those scenarios. It’s almost always an opportunity to get better um a rep at something at some level of adjustment whether it’s individually or collectively. And so we went through our script in the gym and and got some productive work done. Uh we’ll roll the ball out tomorrow, man. And hopefully we’ll have uh more of an environment geared toward what what our intentions were and certainly we’re excited about carrying the pass today. Uh but we got to hold off for 24 questions. Did you have some antsy people uh who wanted to get out there on that field? There’s no question. Um but I’d much rather say wo than sickum. And uh it was appropriate to say woe. Um, we got a lot of water dumped on those fields in a very short period of time. It would have been safe to to do it today. Mike, was turf the option at all or not? You know, I’m I don’t want to start like that to be honest with you. Um, we’ll we’ll have ample enough time to to develop in the ways that we need to develop. Um, we want to work hard, but we also want to work smart and and and the safety concerns are always a component of decision- making from my perspective. Mike, given some of the weather interference that you’ve had so far, do you consider varying any of the practice times in the next couple of weeks? Not as I sit here today. Um, you know, when we look back at the acclamation period, it’s just that it’s the acclamation period and so, you know, today was really the first real day of work and we had to adjust and adapt today, but I’m not ready to make wholesale changes or even anticipation of making wholesale changes. Mike Rogers has been pretty regular participant. Is there a plan for him or is it kind of dayto day? See how he’s going? Keep watching. Yeah, we got a plan. You know, my goal is to always give these guys what they need to be ready. Um, depending on the guy, that may change. Um, when I when I minimize certain guys based on their experience, all it does is provide an avenue for more reps for someone else. And so, you know, any days I might give Aaron off or reps that I might give him off, it just the opportunity for a guy like Will Howard to get additional work and and aid his developmental process. That’s the lens through which I see all of it. Um, you can apply that to another position and and other veteran players. I’m going to give, you know, Jaylen Ramsey a day or two off in this process and it’s going to be great work for a guy like Dante Kent, for example. At some point down the road, will you guys be able to use that facility they’re building on days like this? I have no idea what the construction, you know, guideline is for all of that. I hadn’t even begun to ask. I know we’re it’s not going to be available to us in 2025. And so, you know, I’m I get kind of singularly focused. Mike, is there any update to Broadick and the outlook for him to return to practice? Uh, he should be out there tomorrow. Okay. Speaking of Ramsay, uh, as camp goes on, what are you learning about him as a person and how is his personality traits meshing with the collective? you know, I think it’s a little early for that. Um, I know that he’s a a football lover. Um, he’s highly engaged. Um, he’s doing a really good job of learning multiple spots. He’s a good communicator. Um, I like the developing relationship between him and Joy Porter Jr., for example. He’s a guy that’s been through a lot in this game and he appears willing to share it. How has Robert Woods fit in with your receivers and what has he kind of brought to this group? Again, it’s a little early for that. Um, but I like his approach to business. He’s a he’s a professional. His resume speaks for itself. Um, he’s a hard worker, a diligent worker. I’m excited to see him seeing about what he brings. Do you have a timet for Isaac? I don’t. You can still characterize it as dayto-day. Any idea how the running game is sorting itself out among the backs in the back field? We hadn’t had a padded practice yet. The veteran defensive guy, Slay, uh, Ramsay, etc. Have you noticed in terms of the leadership side of that kind of take your focus or is that anything you mentioned to them? I you know they’re certainly sharing their experience and wisdom. Uh but I I think that those things reveal themselves as you get further in the journey and you get faced with the natural adversity that the game presents. I think that’s when it gets a opportunity to show and show legitimately. Mike, with as busy of an offseason as you guys had, how much do you sort of relish the opportunity to blend all that stuff together? uh and and what what makes that successful? You know, I just think that’s the job. Um the acquisition of talent and then the development of that talent, the division of labor. It’s just the process and certainly I I enjoy every component of the process. Mike Slay has been pretty unique in his ability to play at a high level at that position at at his age. Have you seen anything so far about the way he works or the way he conducts his business that maybe provides some insight into why and how? Um no, I hadn’t. It’s but again it’s you know these are great questions. It’s just really early in the process guys. We just came out of acclamation and we lost our first padded practice and so you know many of these discussions are very much in development. Mike going back to Ramsey we’ve seen him in the nickel a lot. How has that position the slot corner evolved over time in the NFL? Has it grown in importance or changed the what you’re looking for out of that position? It’s probably about 25 years in now. Um, when I was a young uh position coach, man, it was guys like Anias Williams and Randy Barber that were really shaping and defining the position. Um, it was right about the time that the greatest show on turf was taking the league by storm and they were playing with three receivers just about every down. Um, and so it’s probably 25 years in development. It it’s it’s common place now to be quite honest with you. um these kids grow up playing it now and so um it was more of a you know topic of discussion back then um it’s really common now you you get guys being drafted exclusively um as Nickelbacks for example Mike uh Roman Wilson seems like a very focused individual as you say singularly focused is he like that behind closed doors or is that just with us he is with me and so he might be giving you guys the same treatment he gives me um but It’s appropriate. This is a big camp and a big process for Roman u going into year two with not having u much participation in year one. Uh but the standards of expect expect expectation and improvement being the same. Um but again as I mentioned several times man he’s not in uncharted waters been Calvin Austin walked that same journey uh very recently and missing a lot of time from his rookie year and it hadn’t slowed the trajectory of his progress and career to this point. Mike, where could Roman fit in on special teams for you? That’s to be determined. Um, he’s certainly a willing worker. He’s caught kicks and punts in pre-practice and so forth, but his his contributions are not going to be exclusive to that area. Um, he’s working with gunners on the punt team. Um, he’s a very willing guy in that area, but how he performs uh will will determine those things. Mike, you guys have invested a lot in offensive defensive lines in the past few drafts. Is this a unique opportunity that you see for both these younger units to kind of mold with each other in these coming in these coming weeks where you get to see them be physical? I know it didn’t happen today. Certainly. Um the iron on iron component of get better is something that that we buy into. We’ve got some talented young guys on both sides and you know when you pit one against the other um it creates an environment for the get better and that’s why you know we go ones versus ones and twos versus twos. We’re not looking for the artificial feel good. Uh, we like to improve through competition. You referenced Roman catching some kicks. Uh, I’m sorry. You referenced Roman catching kicks with Cordderero gone. That’s a big vacancy there. What went into the timing of his release today? Um, you’d have to ask Omar that and I didn’t get into the reasons why from a timing perspective. Do you consider kick return kick returner a pretty open competition here? I do. Um, but we’re not devoid of candidates. Um really really excited about Kenny Gainwell in that area. Um certainly Jaylen Warren’s got some experience in that area. We’re looking at uh Caleb Johnson. We’re looking at Roman Wilson. Um we’re not devoid of candidates. I’m pretty comfortable with the pool of candidates, but it’s still some work to sort out. Certainly. How about punk guys? Two more. Would you prefer Austin not do that if he takes on a bigger role? No, I like him there, man. He’s got a desire to be the best in the world. He’s made some dramatic improvements. he was moving in that direction over the course of the last season. Uh he’s excited about taking another step in that area. Mike Payton said a few days ago he sees himself as the best coverage linebacker in the world and then Malik Harrison said it about Payton the same thing a few days later. Uh do you agree with that and you see I appreciate his mindset. He’ll be given an opportunity to prove that.

Coach Mike Tomlin spoke to the media on Tuesday at Saint Vincent College

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