Mike Tomlin Has Nothing Against the Gen Z Social Media Savvy Football Stars

Following Bill Beichick’s exit, Steelers’ Mike Tomlin became the longest-tenured active head coach in the NFL this season. The 52-year-old remained ever-relevant since 2007, which is noteworthy, considering that at least 5 NFL coaches lost their jobs in 2024. Entering his 18th season, Tomlin is a beloved person across generations, particularly because he isn’t a “judgemental type” of coach.

Appearing on the Friday episode of the Pivot Podcast, the Virginia native shared how he continues to get along well with the Gen Z, social media-savvy football stars. The 2x Super Bowl winner head coach admitted the “experiences” of these players are different, remarking most of them “have never been through a two-a-day in their life.”

Since these experiences are relative, Tomlin really tries not to judge them because the lens through which they see the game is completely different:

“These dudes have the same appetite that you guys had and if put them in circumstances, I am sure they would swim in them waters, but they brought up in a different time and a different environment…I don’t judge them.”

Tomlin further denoted these players come into the league “in circumstances where they had mandatory off days.” As a result, the Steelers mastermind believes it is unrealistic to think that the Gen Z players will be ready for an afternoon team run because they haven’t experienced it in high school or college. 

The experienced head coach detailed how his former head coaches helped him to thrive in the NFL, how he looked up to them, and how he wants to be the same figure for his players. 

Tomlin details why he took up the coaching job

On the podcast, Tomlin detailed he ‘loved the vocation of coaching’ because, as a young man, the coaches in his life were an “inspiration” and a “blueprint” for him. Tomlin, who took up the coaching job when he was 36, wanted to “emulate” his head coaches because they were like his “leaders.”

Additionally, Tomlin explained what keeps him going at this stage of his NFL career:

“I love working with young people. Those challenges are ever-changing and so it’s fresh. When I coached you, I was a big brother type. Now I am coaching my son’s friends, you know, and so, the perspective or the lens in which I see it has evolved, and that keeps the challenges fresh, man. I’m having fun man, I love it.”

The last time the Steelers won a Super Bowl was in 2009, against the Cardinals. However, with Russell Wilson in their team, Tomlin is determined to shift the gears and win his second Super Bowl as the Steelers HC.