September 28, 2025 • 12 mins
Steelers Digest Editor, Bob Labriola sits down with Head Coach Mike Tomlin ahead of the Steelers Week 4 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, Ireland
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
He's the Mike Tomlinking Day podcast with Steelers Digest editor
Bob Labriola. Okay, coach, one of the things I wondered
about when it happened was on the Patriots fourth and
one from your own twenty eight yard line with one
seven left in the fourth quarter, you called your second
time out. What were you looking to accomplish there?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
I wanted to give our guys a chance to exhale.
I wanted to be able to look them in the eye,
talk about some things that we could anticipate under that scenario,
get in a good call, just handle all the minutia.
It was a big down certainly, and so the communication
and the planning component of it was more important than
the timeout. We utilized the timeout, we're able to communicate
(00:43):
with our guys, give them a call, give them some fine,
some finer detail points man to go out and execute
the play.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Also, after that game, you referred to ball search culture.
How just having success in that area early in a
game or early in a season breed more so access
in that area.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
You know, it's you know, it's like any other skills
you develop, You continually hone them, and you do so
daily with physical work and so certainly can be an
asset to you at the early courses of the season
when maybe your collective work or your individual work lacks
a little detail, you lack a little situational awareness and
playmaking things of that nature. It can bridge the gap
(01:23):
and the effort to engineer victory in the meanwhile while
you round out other components of your game.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Certainly, when it comes to design quarterback runs versus quarterback scrambles,
how is the approach to defending those different?
Speaker 2 (01:37):
You know, design quarterback runs is plus one running game,
and so you certainly got to have some tools at
your disposals schematically to minimize that. The quarterback scramble can
be handled a little bit less, so schematically more with
the knowledge, expertise and collective work of those who rush them,
(01:59):
or maybe the secondary component of it. But certainly design
quarterback runs are much more schematically challenging than scrambles.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
So what are some examples of the tools you said
you need to defend those?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
You got to do things to either cloud gaps and
so you got to stunt. You got to try to
occupy three gaps with two people, and you do that
by stunning or simply you take your free safety out
of the middle of the field, and you play eleven
on eleven football. And so those are the two primary
means that you know, defensive engineers schematic engineers utilized to
(02:35):
minimize it. You got to occupy multiple gaps with less people,
or you got to play eleven on eleven football. And
that's why they call design quarterback runs plus one running game.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
How might you adjust your defensive game plan when you're
going against a team that is a threat to go
for on fourth down from just about anywhere on the field.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
More than anything, you adjust your mindset on third down,
because if they have that mindset of going forward on
third down, you got to ascertain whether or not they
viewed third down and third down or whether they view
third down and second down. Sometimes people play third down
twice and sometimes people treat third down like second down
when they have four down intentions. And I think that's
(03:17):
the biggest component of the equation from a defensive perspective.
Are they playing third down twice or do they have
more latitude in terms of the range of plays that
they're willing to run on the first third down if
they're in four down mode.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
So around the NFL generally. Now, do you find it
that it's more likely for coaches to go for it
on fourth downs? Or is that just still an individual
characteristic for certain guys who'd like to play that way?
Speaker 2 (03:45):
I think. I think in general there's a there's a
personality to it, and so different guys have different personalities.
But certainly there's a general uptick in going for it
because there's just more informational tools that people's disposal in
twenty twenty five that makes it more comfortable taking that risk.
They can stand at the podium and say analytics told
(04:07):
them to do it.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
At your Tuesday news conference, she talked about how playing
in playing an international game is a big honor, that
representing American football is a really cool thing. But is
there anything special added to the whole thing because the
game is in Ireland and because of the roots in
history that the Rooney family has there.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
You know, if you knew the late great ambassador, that's
an easy answer to that question. I smile when I
think about him. I smile when I think about this
game actually coming to Fruition. Man, It's just it's an honor. Certainly,
I know what Ireland means to that family, What it
meant to him. I know what it meant for him
(04:49):
to have the honor of being ambassador to Ireland. He
did American football games on the fourth of July when
he was over there, and so, man, this is a
culmination of a and so it's certainly extra special having
known him.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Brian Flores is the Vikings defensive coordinator, and after Miami
fired him following the twenty twenty one season, you hired
him in twenty twenty two to be a senior defensive
assistant slash linebackers coach. Was there any interest by either
side at that time and that being more than a
one year arrangement with the Steelers, or was it more
about getting a qualified coach back into the league as
(05:27):
soon as possible.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
You know, initially it was about getting a qualified coach
obviously back into the fold and having the pleasure of
his expertise. But certainly after that initial it was obvious
that he fit in around here, and so there was
a potential of more than that. But opportunity came knocking,
(05:50):
and I certainly wished him well. I think his intentions
when he got here reflected that mindset. He bought a
house here immediately moved his family here, kids went to
Shady Side Academy. He lived the Pittsburgh experience.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
So was that a difficult I won't say difficult parting,
but difficult. You know, there was only a one year thing.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
You certainly hate to see good men go, players and coaches,
and he certainly fits that bill. He was an asset
to us, certainly why he was here, and so you
certainly hate to see capable men like that move on.
But it's it's part of the game, to be quite
quite honest with you, opportunity for those that are deserving player,
oh coach, and he definitely fits that bill.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
The Vikings already have ruled out second year quarterback JJ
McCarthy and he'll be replaced today by Carson Wentz, who's
in his tenth season after being the second overall pick
of the twenty sixteen NFL Draft. You talked about how
a veteran backup quarterback can provide a team with intangibles,
and so what intangibles did you see Wentz provide in
(06:54):
Minnesota's win over the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
You know, I wasn't in the huddle. I wouldn't a
component to their communications. So it's somewhat speculative, but certainly
I've just been in this business long enough to know
there's no substitute for experience. Certainly, they got a long
term commitment to JJ, and there's some long term costs
in terms of his not participating right now. But in
(07:17):
the short term they got a guy that's been there
and done that. He's been in a lot of systems,
He's digest a lot of ball. I'm sure he can
articulate that. I'm sure he's helpful to young people in
the huddle. I'm sure his experience is an asset in
terms in terms of common the emotions and so forth
of the unit in heavy moments. There's just a lot
of intangible value to veteran experience. And I'm sure at
(07:41):
least in the short term he and that is an
asset to them.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Is it an advantage to you in any way to
have him name the starter in advance? You can prepare
for him rather than JJ McCarthy goes in, gets injured
on the first series, and then you've got to deal
with Carson went.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
You know, certainly, from a preparation standpoint, information is good,
but it's probably less significant in this scenario. It's probably
more significant when there's significantly different skill sets between the
two quarterbacks. If you got one pocket passer and one runner,
for example, it's more troublesome from a prep standpoint. It's
(08:22):
different schematics utilized to meet those challenges. But in this
particular instance, I doubt that the offense changes very much
schematically no matter what guy's in there, and so it's
less significant that which we experienced about twelve months ago.
Moving between Richardson and Flacco in Indianapolis, there's some significant
(08:43):
schematic differences in terms of meeting the demands of minimizing
those two.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
For example, Harrison Smith, in his fourteenth season as a
Viking safety, returned to the lineup last week for his
first game in twenty twenty five after being sidelined with
an injury in late August. What is his significant to
what Brian Flores wants to do on defense?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Much like we're talking about the veteran quarterback on the
other side, there's no substitute for a veteran presence, particularly
on the back end and particularly within flora as his
system of defense. So much of what he does is
from a pre snap disguise standpoint. Young people are generally
can't hold their water in terms of the disguise They
leave too early, or probably worse than that, they leave
too late, they stay too long. Twenty two has been
(09:26):
at it long enough. He's got a real good feel
for canance. When the snap is imminent, he'll do a
great job of playing along the line of scrimmage and
running the half field, or he can come out of
half feel and blitze off the edge. His experience his
innate feel for the game are two things that allows
that to happen. And certainly he's a major component of
(09:48):
the pre snap strategy of coach Floor is the cat
and mouse, if you will, of the disguise game.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Where is Justin Jefferson in the pecking order of the
NFL's top wide receivers. What are his special qualities?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
You know? I think I think his top quality first
and foremost is his competes.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Man.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
It jumps off at the tape. When you watch tape
and you feel the emotions of a player. He plays
with an edge. He never flinches in play. He runs
into dark places at full speed. He's competitive in one
on one circumstances. He's a great route runner. He's competitive
and run after circumstances. He's got a well rounded game.
(10:30):
He's certainly among the elite. I enjoyed those conversations about
who's number one, and who's number two, and who's number three.
I'll take the ones you don't. You know, he's an
elite guy. He's at the top of the food chain
in what he does.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Okay, same question about t J. Hawkinson's special qualities and
his standing in the pecking order of NFL tight ends.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
He certainly has a skill set. I don't know that
he produces some of the numbers that the other guys do,
his comparables or his peers, and it's not because of
his talent, it's because systematically what they ask him to do.
They have two first round receivers in eighteen, as you
mentioned in Jordan Addison, and particularly in a lot of
one dimensional passing circumstances, they utilize him as a component
(11:19):
of the protection and so there's not a lot of
opportunities in one dimensional passing circumstances for him to provide
the stats that maybe compare him to some of the
other guys that are like bodied, and so he probably
gets underrepresented in some of those equations. But certainly he's
a talented guy and a big time capable guy.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
In terms of down and distance. What is your definition
of second and manageable.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Seven or less? I think that's the global term in
today's NFL, and certainly it can be different week to
week for us or for an opponent. When personalities change,
that's when the lines change. From my perspective. If somebody's
behaving like second and six is second and long, then
(12:09):
second and six it is. If they're behaving like second
and ten's second and long, then it is. And so specifically,
if you're planning for somebody, you let their tape tell
you what second and medium or manageable is. What second
and long is? You certainly determine that for yourselves. But
the global term, or the blanket term that a lot
(12:30):
of people use is seven yards or less.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
That's the Mike Tomlin Game Day podcast. Subscribe and download
new episodes every week and check out all of the
other shows we have to offer on the Steelers podcast
network that's available on the Steelers mobile app, the iHeartRadio app,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
He's the Mike Tomlinking Day podcast with Steelers Digest editor
Bob Labriola. Okay, coach, one of the things I wondered
about when it happened was on the Patriots fourth and
one from your own twenty eight yard line with one
seven left in the fourth quarter, you called your second
time out. What were you looking to accomplish there?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
I wanted to give our guys a chance to exhale.
I wanted to be able to look them in the eye,
talk about some things that we could anticipate under that scenario,
get in a good call, just handle all the minutia.
It was a big down certainly, and so the communication
and the planning component of it was more important than
the timeout. We utilized the timeout, we're able to communicate
(00:43):
with our guys, give them a call, give them some fine,
some finer detail points man to go out and execute
the play.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Also, after that game, you referred to ball search culture.
How just having success in that area early in a
game or early in a season breed more so access
in that area.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
You know, it's you know, it's like any other skills
you develop, You continually hone them, and you do so
daily with physical work and so certainly can be an
asset to you at the early courses of the season
when maybe your collective work or your individual work lacks
a little detail, you lack a little situational awareness and
playmaking things of that nature. It can bridge the gap
(01:23):
and the effort to engineer victory in the meanwhile while
you round out other components of your game.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Certainly, when it comes to design quarterback runs versus quarterback scrambles,
how is the approach to defending those different?
Speaker 2 (01:37):
You know, design quarterback runs is plus one running game,
and so you certainly got to have some tools at
your disposals schematically to minimize that. The quarterback scramble can
be handled a little bit less, so schematically more with
the knowledge, expertise and collective work of those who rush them,
(01:59):
or maybe the secondary component of it. But certainly design
quarterback runs are much more schematically challenging than scrambles.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
So what are some examples of the tools you said
you need to defend those?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
You got to do things to either cloud gaps and
so you got to stunt. You got to try to
occupy three gaps with two people, and you do that
by stunning or simply you take your free safety out
of the middle of the field, and you play eleven
on eleven football. And so those are the two primary
means that you know, defensive engineers schematic engineers utilized to
(02:35):
minimize it. You got to occupy multiple gaps with less people,
or you got to play eleven on eleven football. And
that's why they call design quarterback runs plus one running game.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
How might you adjust your defensive game plan when you're
going against a team that is a threat to go
for on fourth down from just about anywhere on the field.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
More than anything, you adjust your mindset on third down,
because if they have that mindset of going forward on
third down, you got to ascertain whether or not they
viewed third down and third down or whether they view
third down and second down. Sometimes people play third down
twice and sometimes people treat third down like second down
when they have four down intentions. And I think that's
(03:17):
the biggest component of the equation from a defensive perspective.
Are they playing third down twice or do they have
more latitude in terms of the range of plays that
they're willing to run on the first third down if
they're in four down mode.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
So around the NFL generally. Now, do you find it
that it's more likely for coaches to go for it
on fourth downs? Or is that just still an individual
characteristic for certain guys who'd like to play that way?
Speaker 2 (03:45):
I think. I think in general there's a there's a
personality to it, and so different guys have different personalities.
But certainly there's a general uptick in going for it
because there's just more informational tools that people's disposal in
twenty twenty five that makes it more comfortable taking that risk.
They can stand at the podium and say analytics told
(04:07):
them to do it.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
At your Tuesday news conference, she talked about how playing
in playing an international game is a big honor, that
representing American football is a really cool thing. But is
there anything special added to the whole thing because the
game is in Ireland and because of the roots in
history that the Rooney family has there.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
You know, if you knew the late great ambassador, that's
an easy answer to that question. I smile when I
think about him. I smile when I think about this
game actually coming to Fruition. Man, It's just it's an honor. Certainly,
I know what Ireland means to that family, What it
meant to him. I know what it meant for him
(04:49):
to have the honor of being ambassador to Ireland. He
did American football games on the fourth of July when
he was over there, and so, man, this is a
culmination of a and so it's certainly extra special having
known him.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Brian Flores is the Vikings defensive coordinator, and after Miami
fired him following the twenty twenty one season, you hired
him in twenty twenty two to be a senior defensive
assistant slash linebackers coach. Was there any interest by either
side at that time and that being more than a
one year arrangement with the Steelers, or was it more
about getting a qualified coach back into the league as
(05:27):
soon as possible.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
You know, initially it was about getting a qualified coach
obviously back into the fold and having the pleasure of
his expertise. But certainly after that initial it was obvious
that he fit in around here, and so there was
a potential of more than that. But opportunity came knocking,
(05:50):
and I certainly wished him well. I think his intentions
when he got here reflected that mindset. He bought a
house here immediately moved his family here, kids went to
Shady Side Academy. He lived the Pittsburgh experience.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
So was that a difficult I won't say difficult parting,
but difficult. You know, there was only a one year thing.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
You certainly hate to see good men go, players and coaches,
and he certainly fits that bill. He was an asset
to us, certainly why he was here, and so you
certainly hate to see capable men like that move on.
But it's it's part of the game, to be quite
quite honest with you, opportunity for those that are deserving player,
oh coach, and he definitely fits that bill.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
The Vikings already have ruled out second year quarterback JJ
McCarthy and he'll be replaced today by Carson Wentz, who's
in his tenth season after being the second overall pick
of the twenty sixteen NFL Draft. You talked about how
a veteran backup quarterback can provide a team with intangibles,
and so what intangibles did you see Wentz provide in
(06:54):
Minnesota's win over the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
You know, I wasn't in the huddle. I wouldn't a
component to their communications. So it's somewhat speculative, but certainly
I've just been in this business long enough to know
there's no substitute for experience. Certainly, they got a long
term commitment to JJ, and there's some long term costs
in terms of his not participating right now. But in
(07:17):
the short term they got a guy that's been there
and done that. He's been in a lot of systems,
He's digest a lot of ball. I'm sure he can
articulate that. I'm sure he's helpful to young people in
the huddle. I'm sure his experience is an asset in
terms in terms of common the emotions and so forth
of the unit in heavy moments. There's just a lot
of intangible value to veteran experience. And I'm sure at
(07:41):
least in the short term he and that is an
asset to them.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Is it an advantage to you in any way to
have him name the starter in advance? You can prepare
for him rather than JJ McCarthy goes in, gets injured
on the first series, and then you've got to deal
with Carson went.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
You know, certainly, from a preparation standpoint, information is good,
but it's probably less significant in this scenario. It's probably
more significant when there's significantly different skill sets between the
two quarterbacks. If you got one pocket passer and one runner,
for example, it's more troublesome from a prep standpoint. It's
(08:22):
different schematics utilized to meet those challenges. But in this
particular instance, I doubt that the offense changes very much
schematically no matter what guy's in there, and so it's
less significant that which we experienced about twelve months ago.
Moving between Richardson and Flacco in Indianapolis, there's some significant
(08:43):
schematic differences in terms of meeting the demands of minimizing
those two.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
For example, Harrison Smith, in his fourteenth season as a
Viking safety, returned to the lineup last week for his
first game in twenty twenty five after being sidelined with
an injury in late August. What is his significant to
what Brian Flores wants to do on defense?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Much like we're talking about the veteran quarterback on the
other side, there's no substitute for a veteran presence, particularly
on the back end and particularly within flora as his
system of defense. So much of what he does is
from a pre snap disguise standpoint. Young people are generally
can't hold their water in terms of the disguise They
leave too early, or probably worse than that, they leave
too late, they stay too long. Twenty two has been
(09:26):
at it long enough. He's got a real good feel
for canance. When the snap is imminent, he'll do a
great job of playing along the line of scrimmage and
running the half field, or he can come out of
half feel and blitze off the edge. His experience his
innate feel for the game are two things that allows
that to happen. And certainly he's a major component of
(09:48):
the pre snap strategy of coach Floor is the cat
and mouse, if you will, of the disguise game.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Where is Justin Jefferson in the pecking order of the
NFL's top wide receivers. What are his special qualities?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
You know? I think I think his top quality first
and foremost is his competes.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Man.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
It jumps off at the tape. When you watch tape
and you feel the emotions of a player. He plays
with an edge. He never flinches in play. He runs
into dark places at full speed. He's competitive in one
on one circumstances. He's a great route runner. He's competitive
and run after circumstances. He's got a well rounded game.
(10:30):
He's certainly among the elite. I enjoyed those conversations about
who's number one, and who's number two, and who's number three.
I'll take the ones you don't. You know, he's an
elite guy. He's at the top of the food chain
in what he does.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Okay, same question about t J. Hawkinson's special qualities and
his standing in the pecking order of NFL tight ends.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
He certainly has a skill set. I don't know that
he produces some of the numbers that the other guys do,
his comparables or his peers, and it's not because of
his talent, it's because systematically what they ask him to do.
They have two first round receivers in eighteen, as you
mentioned in Jordan Addison, and particularly in a lot of
one dimensional passing circumstances, they utilize him as a component
(11:19):
of the protection and so there's not a lot of
opportunities in one dimensional passing circumstances for him to provide
the stats that maybe compare him to some of the
other guys that are like bodied, and so he probably
gets underrepresented in some of those equations. But certainly he's
a talented guy and a big time capable guy.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
In terms of down and distance. What is your definition
of second and manageable.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Seven or less? I think that's the global term in
today's NFL, and certainly it can be different week to
week for us or for an opponent. When personalities change,
that's when the lines change. From my perspective. If somebody's
behaving like second and six is second and long, then
(12:09):
second and six it is. If they're behaving like second
and ten's second and long, then it is. And so specifically,
if you're planning for somebody, you let their tape tell
you what second and medium or manageable is. What second
and long is? You certainly determine that for yourselves. But
the global term, or the blanket term that a lot
(12:30):
of people use is seven yards or less.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
That's the Mike Tomlin Game Day podcast. Subscribe and download
new episodes every week and check out all of the
other shows we have to offer on the Steelers podcast
network that's available on the Steelers mobile app, the iHeartRadio app,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
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