Mics Caught Mike Tomlin’s Classy Message To Texans Coach In Final Steelers Game

Mike Tomlin didn’t get to extremity his honorable 19-season Steelers’ tenure pinch a much-sought-after playoff triumph this year, but he did adjacent it retired pinch 1 past prestigious gesture.

The Steelers were knocked retired of nan playoffs connected Monday successful a wild-card nonaccomplishment to nan Texans, during which Aaron Rodgers & Co. sewage blown retired successful an disfigured 30-6 beatdown astatine home. Pittsburgh had softly snuck into this year’s postseason acknowledgment to a fortuitous missed section extremity by nan Ravens successful their regular play finale, and Tomlin, who was hoping to clinch his first playoff triumph since 2016, wasn’t taking thing for granted.

The now-ex-Steelers coach and Texans coach DeMeco Ryans were mic’d up ahead of their wild-card showdown, 1 that—unbeknownst to fans and players alike—would later return connected a typical value arsenic Tomlin’s last crippled successful charge. Before kickoff, Tomlin met up pinch Ryans and appeared to transportation somewhat of a “Carpe diem” mindset heading into nan matchup.

“We livin’, ain’t we brother? Much respect for you and your group,” Tomlin told Ryans earlier nan game.

“Same to you, bro. Man, outstanding job,” Ryans replied.

“Man, ain’t it cool? Come connected man, we livin’. Let’s unrecorded tonight. Let’s do correct by this crippled tonight. ... Nothing but respect and love, brother. No doubt. Every time of our lives, we ain it,” Tomlin said.

Then, aft nan last whistle, Tomlin shared a saccharine infinitesimal pinch Ryans during nan accepted postgame coaches handshake astatine midfield.

“Great job, relative man,” Tomlin told Ryans. “All nan best, man. Go do it.”

Nothing but people from nan Steelers great.

Tomlin announced Tuesday he was stepping down arsenic Steelers coach aft 19 years astatine nan helm, paving nan measurement for a momentous alteration successful an statement that had agelong grown accustomed to Tomlin’s fiery marque of activity and unshakeable tone and resolve. In 2026, nan early of nan Steelers will beryllium arsenic volatile arsenic its been successful 2 decades, pinch seasoned backmost Aaron Rodgers likely having played his past threat successful Pittsburgh arsenic well.

Whatever nan early whitethorn clasp for nan much-revered Tomlin, whether it’s jumping into a media gig aliases simply spending clip pinch his family, he’ll person bowed retired connected his ain position leaving down a one-of-a-kind bequest successful Pittsburgh. And that, certainly, deserves a opinionated ovation.

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