Mike Tomlin ended a decorated 19-year tenure when stepping down as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach. A report shared part of his final message to the team.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor and Jeremy Fowler detailed Tomlin’s last day on the job before he exited the organization on Tuesday. Sources inside the room recalled some of the things he told players and coaches when breaking the news.
“You deserve better, and right now I can’t deliver,” a source recalled Tomlin saying.
“Someone else has to move the franchise forward,” another source relayed.
Tomlin reportedly told the team it was “best that I step down.” He referenced “Game of Thrones” to convey the ruthless nature of coaching when he disclosed a decision that stunned those in the locker room.
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“The faces of coaches and players said one word — ‘What?!’” a team source present for Tomlin’s speech said. “It was dead silent.”
Tomlin then received a standing ovation before dapping and hugging each player as they left the room. A coach noted that Tomlin shouldered the blame for Pittsburgh’s latest first-round exit despite the club often outperforming expectations under his watch.
“He didn’t need to say that. But that’s Mike,” a coaching source said. “He’ll always take accountability when the ultimate goal is not met, when really, guys know there’s so much more and Mike got the best out of the team.”
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