July 28, 2025 • 7 mins
Kyle Brandt visits with Head Coach Mike Tomlin at Steelers Training Camp!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Good Morning Football is the production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio Number nineteen. For this man, Mike Tomlin,
Steelers head coach, what's up man.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Same old thing. Man. Appreciate you guys being here and
joining us.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Thrilled to be here. What's it like to hear in
nineteen training camps?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
You know, I don't know that it resonates with me,
to be honest with you, I'm just always so concerned
about the challenges of now. I don't allow myself to
take a cumulative approach to it.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
No cumulative approach. But you can look around right now
and there's some new faces here, and there's household faces here. Coach,
when you see it's Aaron Jalen Decaf, John Newe at
al Like, how does that make you feel?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I feel challenged now, to be quite honest with you,
I'm embracing the challenge of trying to teach an old
dog a new trick. Guys that have been around this
league and done it at a high level and heard
it presented or wrapped in about any package it can
be wrapped in. It's a challenge man to get and
maintain their attention to teach them the things that we
(01:05):
value here, how we go about our business in the
why to try to train them win in Rome. To
be Roman is a coach's challenge, and it's wonder that
I'm excited about.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
You said an old dog new Tricks. You literally have
the oldest dog in the league. You have a forty
one year old quarterback. He's been through different coaches, He's
at ups and downs, and now he lands here with
the Steelers. What is the challenge of coaching Aaron Rodgers?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
You know, because he's seen it and done it all. Yeah,
you know, everything's a rerun, and you know, it's my
job to make sure that you know that he's engaged,
that he's having fun. The things that attracted him to
the game twenty years ago still resonate with him and
he feels it in this environment today.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
You know, he has said many times when people ask him,
you know why the Steelers, he always points to you
and he says, my conversations with Mike, give me something
of those conversations. What do you have to say to
Aaron Rodgers? What do you say to him? Say, I'm
at forty one years old, I'm going to come place
with a new team.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
You know, I think more than anything, it's got to
be more than capabilities. You know, you're doing what he's
doing at forty one. It's not because you're capable. It's
other things. It's a burning desire, it's man versus himself,
it's answering critics, it's whatever, and so like, I just
(02:26):
want to get to know him legitimately, and for me,
a component of that is, you know, understanding the why.
I think I can better coach him and get to
know him in a real way and we can both
be what this team needs us to be if we
pursue it in that manner.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
You're always engrossed in the football world. I work in media.
You cannot hear the name Mike Tomlin and media without
hearing that he's never had a losing season. It is
a fact that follows you around for all kinds of
different reasons. What does that fact mean to you?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
It doesn't mean a lot as it's a figure day why,
you know, because again, for me, there's so much to
be concerned about relative to naw, let's be honest, Okay,
like most of these guys or that I coach, it
doesn't resonate with you know. Nineteen eighteen years ago. A
lot of these guys were in car seats and so
they respect it. But it's not something that's a value
(03:17):
for them. And so why would I, you know, put
my business on this collective. I'm just focused on this
collective and what we can do together. I think I
owe them that, And really, at the end of the day,
I doubt that anybody cares. It's just a nice, cool
thing for you guys to talk about or use as
an intro when you're talking about me or hope for
(03:38):
my demise. You know what I mean either way is
sport entertainment. It's not big on my radar.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Not surprised to hear before you go. You have a
very special, unique way of talking. You become renowned for
and people talk about tomlinisms phrases that you use. I
have some of them here now, Coach. Sometimes you'll get
rock stars up on stage and they'll explain their songs
or their lyrics, what comes with them. I just want
you to give me a little backstory on some of these.
(04:05):
Anything you're comfortable with, all right? Tomlinism number one? If
you got red paint, you paint the barn red? What
does that mean?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
It means weird. As coaches have to be flexible. I'm
not gonna try to put a square peg in a
round hole. It's my job to see the collection of talent,
what makes it special, how we divide the labor up
and do what best highlights the talents and the skill
sets of the individual and the collective. And so as
opposed to that long winded explanation, you're.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Explaining Tomalinisms with Tomalinism my number two. This is my
favorite one, Mike Tomlin. There is a fine line between
drinking wine and stomping grapes.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
What are we doing? Like? You need to balance athletic
arrogance and humility in this in this league, this game,
at this level is full of legitimately humble. Everybody takes
an al every now and then in a lot of way,
and so I just remind them of that using that analogy.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Mike Tomlin, I can't give you all the ingredients to
the hot dog. You might not like it. You like
them too, You're charmed of these like we.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Are now because I'm just trying to figure out how
to explain it. You know, for us, you know, there's
certain things that are team oriented that are not for
everyone to consume, even those that love football or love us.
The things that happen behind the scenes that are our
business is part of us doing the things that we
need to do to produce the outcomes that we desire.
(05:41):
And sometimes the process is attractive as the end product.
And that's why I'm somewhat resistant to hard knocks and
things of that nature, because I'm not really interested in
peeling the curtains back all the time. I think these
guys are deserving of some privacy that it's tough to
come by in today's sport world.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
It's a beautiful answer to a fun quote, and I'll
bring it home. This this is your let it be.
This is the one you'll be known by. The standard
is the standard? What does it mean, coach?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
It means, you know, current circumstances don't matter, nobody cares.
There's a standard of expectation and we have to live
to it. I never want to seeking comfort. I never
want us, you know, evaluating our outcomes on a curve
if you will, you know, talking about who's missing and
things of that nature or natural challenges that the game
(06:34):
or life presents. Because the bottom line is everyone we
compete against has similar challenges or maybe different challenges. Challenges
are part of the journey and it's our job to
overcome them, and so I just try to train them
from a mental standpoint that we need to be unwavering
in our commitments regarding what we say we want to do.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Challenges, standards, Wine, hot Dogs nineteen years. This is Mike
tom on the legend. He is not about accumulative approach.
He's about football, and football here and with the Steelers
is always about winning. Coach, It's awesome to see you.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
No, thank you, good luck this year. Appreciate you.
Good Morning Football is the production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio Number nineteen. For this man, Mike Tomlin,
Steelers head coach, what's up man.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Same old thing. Man. Appreciate you guys being here and
joining us.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Thrilled to be here. What's it like to hear in
nineteen training camps?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
You know, I don't know that it resonates with me,
to be honest with you, I'm just always so concerned
about the challenges of now. I don't allow myself to
take a cumulative approach to it.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
No cumulative approach. But you can look around right now
and there's some new faces here, and there's household faces here. Coach,
when you see it's Aaron Jalen Decaf, John Newe at
al Like, how does that make you feel?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I feel challenged now, to be quite honest with you,
I'm embracing the challenge of trying to teach an old
dog a new trick. Guys that have been around this
league and done it at a high level and heard
it presented or wrapped in about any package it can
be wrapped in. It's a challenge man to get and
maintain their attention to teach them the things that we
(01:05):
value here, how we go about our business in the
why to try to train them win in Rome. To
be Roman is a coach's challenge, and it's wonder that
I'm excited about.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
You said an old dog new Tricks. You literally have
the oldest dog in the league. You have a forty
one year old quarterback. He's been through different coaches, He's
at ups and downs, and now he lands here with
the Steelers. What is the challenge of coaching Aaron Rodgers?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
You know, because he's seen it and done it all. Yeah,
you know, everything's a rerun, and you know, it's my
job to make sure that you know that he's engaged,
that he's having fun. The things that attracted him to
the game twenty years ago still resonate with him and
he feels it in this environment today.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
You know, he has said many times when people ask him,
you know why the Steelers, he always points to you
and he says, my conversations with Mike, give me something
of those conversations. What do you have to say to
Aaron Rodgers? What do you say to him? Say, I'm
at forty one years old, I'm going to come place
with a new team.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
You know, I think more than anything, it's got to
be more than capabilities. You know, you're doing what he's
doing at forty one. It's not because you're capable. It's
other things. It's a burning desire, it's man versus himself,
it's answering critics, it's whatever, and so like, I just
(02:26):
want to get to know him legitimately, and for me,
a component of that is, you know, understanding the why.
I think I can better coach him and get to
know him in a real way and we can both
be what this team needs us to be if we
pursue it in that manner.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
You're always engrossed in the football world. I work in media.
You cannot hear the name Mike Tomlin and media without
hearing that he's never had a losing season. It is
a fact that follows you around for all kinds of
different reasons. What does that fact mean to you?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
It doesn't mean a lot as it's a figure day why,
you know, because again, for me, there's so much to
be concerned about relative to naw, let's be honest, Okay,
like most of these guys or that I coach, it
doesn't resonate with you know. Nineteen eighteen years ago. A
lot of these guys were in car seats and so
they respect it. But it's not something that's a value
(03:17):
for them. And so why would I, you know, put
my business on this collective. I'm just focused on this
collective and what we can do together. I think I
owe them that, And really, at the end of the day,
I doubt that anybody cares. It's just a nice, cool
thing for you guys to talk about or use as
an intro when you're talking about me or hope for
(03:38):
my demise. You know what I mean either way is
sport entertainment. It's not big on my radar.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Not surprised to hear before you go. You have a
very special, unique way of talking. You become renowned for
and people talk about tomlinisms phrases that you use. I
have some of them here now, Coach. Sometimes you'll get
rock stars up on stage and they'll explain their songs
or their lyrics, what comes with them. I just want
you to give me a little backstory on some of these.
(04:05):
Anything you're comfortable with, all right? Tomlinism number one? If
you got red paint, you paint the barn red? What
does that mean?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
It means weird. As coaches have to be flexible. I'm
not gonna try to put a square peg in a
round hole. It's my job to see the collection of talent,
what makes it special, how we divide the labor up
and do what best highlights the talents and the skill
sets of the individual and the collective. And so as
opposed to that long winded explanation, you're.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Explaining Tomalinisms with Tomalinism my number two. This is my
favorite one, Mike Tomlin. There is a fine line between
drinking wine and stomping grapes.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
What are we doing? Like? You need to balance athletic
arrogance and humility in this in this league, this game,
at this level is full of legitimately humble. Everybody takes
an al every now and then in a lot of way,
and so I just remind them of that using that analogy.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Mike Tomlin, I can't give you all the ingredients to
the hot dog. You might not like it. You like
them too, You're charmed of these like we.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Are now because I'm just trying to figure out how
to explain it. You know, for us, you know, there's
certain things that are team oriented that are not for
everyone to consume, even those that love football or love us.
The things that happen behind the scenes that are our
business is part of us doing the things that we
need to do to produce the outcomes that we desire.
(05:41):
And sometimes the process is attractive as the end product.
And that's why I'm somewhat resistant to hard knocks and
things of that nature, because I'm not really interested in
peeling the curtains back all the time. I think these
guys are deserving of some privacy that it's tough to
come by in today's sport world.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
It's a beautiful answer to a fun quote, and I'll
bring it home. This this is your let it be.
This is the one you'll be known by. The standard
is the standard? What does it mean, coach?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
It means, you know, current circumstances don't matter, nobody cares.
There's a standard of expectation and we have to live
to it. I never want to seeking comfort. I never
want us, you know, evaluating our outcomes on a curve
if you will, you know, talking about who's missing and
things of that nature or natural challenges that the game
(06:34):
or life presents. Because the bottom line is everyone we
compete against has similar challenges or maybe different challenges. Challenges
are part of the journey and it's our job to
overcome them, and so I just try to train them
from a mental standpoint that we need to be unwavering
in our commitments regarding what we say we want to do.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Challenges, standards, Wine, hot Dogs nineteen years. This is Mike
tom on the legend. He is not about accumulative approach.
He's about football, and football here and with the Steelers
is always about winning. Coach, It's awesome to see you.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
No, thank you, good luck this year. Appreciate you.
Host
Kyle Brandt
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