Although his lone year in Pittsburgh certainly didn’t live up to expectations, Jonnu Smith has put together a pretty respectable career in the NFL. With nine years under his belt and a Pro Bowl to his name, Smith has seen a lot during his career. That includes seasons with some of the better head coaches the sport has seen, like Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh.
Smith spent the last of Tomlin’s 19 years in Pittsburgh, and despite having high expectations, Smith was still blown away by his new coach.
“It was unlike any other thing I’ve been around…All of the compliments don’t do it justice, you know what I mean. Just him being able to connect with guys and command a room,” Smith said this week, speaking to Jordan Schultz. “Mike T was, every word that he said, he felt it. He meant it. It was powerful. One of the best public speakers I’ve ever been around.”
These aren’t new compliments from Smith, as Tomlin’s ability to connect with his players is something he’s gotten plenty of praise for over the years. But to Smith, who’s spent time in places like Atlanta and Miami, Tomlin certainly might feel like a step up.
However, that’s not the only future Hall of Fame coach Smith has been around. After his rookie contract expired, Smith played two years in New England with Bill Belichick. Smith compared the two coaches during his conversation with Schultz. He said they each had different coaching styles, with Belichick having a surprising amount of humor.
“A lot different in terms of just the approach, Bill and Mike T are two completely different personalities,” Smith said. “Two great coaches, but just really, was a lot different. Bill actually had a lot of sense of humor, in his own way. He had a sense of humor, man.”
Belichick has long been described as a more of a rigid personality, and some former Patriots have talked about their displeasure with that in the past. Adam Butler is one example, who was unhappy with Belichick declining to talk to him after they played each other back in 2023, despite Butler playing under Belichick for four years.
The two definitely have different coaching styles, and each had a ton of success. With Tom Brady, Belichick formed a duo that dominated the AFC for years. Tomlin’s Steelers often contended with those Patriots teams. However, Pittsburgh wasn’t able to get over the postseason hump toward the tail-end of Tomlin’s tenure.
Smith remains a free agent and is looking for his next NFL opportunity. Belichick left the NFL in 2023, one year after Smith left New England. Belichick now coaches North Carolina at the collegiate level and is looking to rebound after a disappointing 4-8 debut season. Tomlin stepped down from the Steelers the day after their 2025 season ended. His next avenue remains unknown, but he did secure representation this week for a possible move to the media industry.
At the end of the day, both Belichick and Mike Tomlin have their names etched across recent NFL history. Jonnu Smith got the chance to play for both, something few players have been lucky enough to do. While they differ in some ways, Smith seems grateful to have worked with both.