October 16, 2025 • 13 mins
Steelers Digest Editor, Bob Labriola sits down with Head Coach Mike Tomlin ahead of the Steelers Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
He's the Mike Tomlin Game Day podcast with Steelers Digest
editor Bob Labriola. Okay, coach. One of the things you
highlighted about the win over the Browns was quote playing
the game on our terms unquote A there are those
terms always the same? Or do they change based on
the opponent?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
They really changed based on the opponent. How did two
groups come together their personality versus ours? And by personality
I mean high volume concepts, style of play. Sometimes it
can refer to first and second down. Sometimes it can
refer to situations, the way they play possession down ball
or red zone personality. I just thought, largely, whether we're
(00:41):
talking about first or second down or situational ball, a
lot of the game was played on our terms, and
you like it when it's going that way.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
How does a sixth offensive lineman in the formation help
the running game?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
In terms of schematics, It doesn't change any of the schematics.
What it changes is the you know the side of
the blockers. When you got a six offensive lineman, you're
talking about fifty sixty seventy pounds difference between he and
a tight end and that fifty to seventy five pounds
is significant, particularly when you're dealing with four to three
ends you're blocking the likes of Miles Garrett and things
(01:15):
of that nature. You got a two hundred and fifty
pound tight end, generally you're losing or you're fighting for
a stalemate. You put a three hundred and twenty pounds
guy in that same combat and it's a different narrative.
And so it doesn't change necessarily the schematics, but it
certainly aids in the run game. Like I tell the
guys all the time, they weight classes in combat sports
for a reason, and we take that same principle of football.
(01:38):
By putting another fifty to seventy pounds or so on
the field.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Does an impact the defense at all? I mean in
terms of creating more gaps or that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
No, it's just the meat on meat, bone on bone
component of the competition. Oftentimes defenses use that of us,
use that as a signal of run or run action.
But as we displayed on the front play of the game,
we're willing to throw the ball out of that structure
as well, and so we just feel like it levels
the play and field, particularly when we're playing four to
(02:07):
three teams and they have the three hundred pound d ns.
You want to fight that fight fairly and need a
bigger man to do so.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
In talking about the Shawn Elliott's value to the team,
you have mentioned his ability to communicate on the field
during the pre snap process. What about the safety position
lends itself to being a hub of communication for the defense.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Just this location. He generally plays in the middle of
the field, and so he's able to communicate with people
to his right and to us left. It's the same
thing with the inside linebackers. Just the proximity of where
they are relative to the others puts them in a
natural position to be a hub of communication. And it's
certainly an unofficial responsibility of the position.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
So it's a situation where one guy's talking at a time,
or might you have a couple guys like Patrick Queen
and the show On Elliott in a situation like they
both be.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yeah, they're certainly central communicators. In any given play, you
can see three or four guys being what you could
describe as a hub of communication, and most of the
time those are guys that play on their feet and
play in the middle of the field. And so those
would include the two inside linebackers and generally the two safeties.
It is very difficult to communicate when you play on
(03:23):
the perimeter outside linebacker corner. The distance to sheer distance
between you and the others makes that a little bit
more difficult.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
During your time as a head coach, what have you
learned to do or not to do when playing Thursday
night games on the road.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
I've I've learned to take a nap on Thursday morning.
You know, it's ten pounds and a five pound bag
during the course of the week leading up to Thursday ball.
Monday and Tuesday in particular, are not enough sleep in
those days, and you do what you gotta do. We're
not paid by the hour, and so through experience, I've
(04:03):
learned to catch a little, you know, mid morning to
afternoon nap on Thursdays, and I get to the stadium
fresh and ready to go.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Do you try and get anything, any kind of work
with the team done on Thursdays or is that pretty
much done?
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yeah? But before that, yeah, we'll roll out of bed
on Thursday morning and get some hotel work, whether it's
meetings or whether it's in the ballroom in the form
of a walkthrough, we do it really to break the
day up, to get people out of their rooms, you know,
to come together a little bit, socialize, have brunch. But
I'd imagine I'm not alone in laying it down after
(04:43):
that morning in terms of getting the nap before we
head to the stadium.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
After the game against the Browns, Aaron Rodgers, without being
asked a question, called out Jalen Ramsey in a positive
way for getting himself ready to play quickly after injuring
a hamstring in Dublin. Some of the things Roger said, quote,
I can't say enough about the level of respect I
have for him. Then later he said, if there was
(05:08):
any question about the type of person that he is,
take away the incredible player, but the person and teammate,
I think he just showed all of us the kind
of guy he is by going out there and playing today. Okay,
So within the environment of an NFL locker room, there's
something like that carry more weight since it comes from
a teammate.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Without a doubt, and particularly the lives through which Aaron
sees it. Man, he's been in this league twenty plus
years and he knows what's special. To be quite honest
with you, and as I often say, it's not about
what you're capable of, it's about what you're willing to do.
And what Jalen displayed to him and his teammates was
(05:49):
just that. It was the display of will a guy
doing everything in his power to show up for his
teammates and respecting that component of team. And I'm sure
that he was less than one hundred percent. And in
today's game, there's so much judgment that comes with what
these guys do. Oftentimes guys don't have enough courage to
(06:11):
do that, to play it less than ideal circumstance because
of potentially not playing well. And he didn't let any
of that slow him down. He wanted to be out
there for and with his teammates and certainly those of
us that have been around this game a long time
and have a big time appreciation for that.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
So does Ramsey playing like he did and then Rogers
saying what he said about it unsolicited. Does that mean
anything for this group or tell you something about this group?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
You know? I think time will certainly tell that what
it is, to be quite honest with you, is an
education process. Aaron was not only complimenting Jalen, and definitely
Jalen was deserving of that compliment, but he was also
working to educate the younger player the things that you
do for team, the things that you need to be
(07:04):
willing to do for team. There's a lesson in all
of this for the younger inexperienced stealer. And I'm sure
there was a messaging component in that regard. From Aaron's perspective.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Joe Flacco is forty years old and he is in
his eighteenth NFL season. When it comes to the above
the neck part of playing quarterback, does he provide his
offense some of the things that Aaron Rodgers does when
it comes to pre snap diagnosis or the defense, the
ability to use cadence as a weapon, using the play
clock to his advantage, he.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Certainly provides some added value. I hesitate comparing it to Aaron, particularly,
you know at the quarterback position. All of those guys
are different. They're one of one, if you will, but man,
his presence raises the tide for the collective most certainly,
that's why you're excited about doing a doing business with
(07:58):
a guy like him. Have been there, done that type.
His arm talent is his arm talent. But I'm sure
there's an intangible quality to him that adds value. He's
had good experiences wherever he's been, particularly of late. He
had a good experience in Cleveland, That's why they brought
him back. He had a really good experience in Indianapolis.
Just listening to the words of his former teammates and coaches,
(08:22):
and I think that speaks to the intangible quality the
things that he brings. He's been on three teams in
this division, and I just think that there's nothing mystical
about that. There's some value on what this guy does
beyond what you see. That's why he's so employable, and
that's why so many people are willing to do business
(08:43):
with him for such a long period of time.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Joe Burrow won't play tonight, but Jamar Chase and t
Higgins will. What is the on field dynamic between those
two wide receivers.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You know, they work independently, but they really complement each
other well. You know, Chase is certainly capable of taking
the top off the coverage and doing run after things.
Higgins plays a goon game. He's a combat catcher, he's
a one on one winner, he's a red zone problem.
(09:16):
They're formidable tandem and one of the things that makes
them such a formidable tandem is their differences.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
So because there's two of them and the Bengals have
two of them, does that dictate the kind of coverage
of a defense might try to use or the kind
of coverage a defense cannot use? Because there's two.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
You know, two doesn't really slow you down. Three definitively
slows you down.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
You know.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I've just been in this league a long time. Man,
When I was a secondary coach twenty five years ago, Man,
that the greatest show on turf with guys like you know,
Holt and Ozac Kim and Isaac Bruce and guys like
that Ricky Pole. At times when it gets more than two,
(10:04):
that's when you really get handcuffed. In terms of some
of the schematic things most defenses, most strategists can handle
handle two.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Can you match up with two if you wanted to play,
you know, corners put one on.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Each without a doubt. Three gets more problematic. There's a
significant difference from a strategy perspective and appliability perspective regarding
strategy between two guys like that and three guys like that.
But it's also very difficult to assemble three guys like that.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
You know.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Very early in my career, Man, I was in the
Black and Blue Division with the Vikings, you know, and
they had Randy Moss and Chris Carter and Jake Reid
for example. It's problematic when there's three, but generally you
can manage two if you're sharp.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
The Bengals have a new defensive coordinator and Al Golden, who,
based on his resume, has spent a lot more time
as a college coach than an NFL coach. What did
you know about him and his defensive style and what
have you learned about him this week?
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Man, He's been around. He's an our grow disciple, if
you will, and so that puts someone that parcels tree.
I see some of that stuff in his play. Although
this is his first coordinator opportunity in the league, this
is not his first venture in the league. He actually
was a defensive assistant for the Bengals a number of
years ago, and so he certainly has league exposure. He
(11:37):
has league schematics, he always has even when he coached
college football, because of his background and the people that
he's worked with, and so I'm not surprised by what
I'm seeing is very sound I certainly respect it. You know,
I watched a lot of Notre Dame tape leading up
to the draft, and those were certainly Sunday schematics on
(11:58):
Saturday video last year watching his Notre Dame group.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
What's the strength of this Bengals defense, You know, I.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Certainly think it's upfront. Trey is is something to deal with.
They've invested a lot in that front. They've got two
young first rounders working working the opposite of him in Chamart,
the rookie out of A and M and Miles Murphy.
I think Miles is probably in his third year out
of Clemson. They picked up Slaton in free agency from
(12:26):
Green Bay as a nose as the interior guy. They
drafted Chris Jenkins in the second round a year ago.
They got a steady veteran in bj Hill from n
C State that's been in the league roughly nine or
ten years. And so, man, they got a deep and
diverse front.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
They've invested a lot in it, whether it's you know,
second or third contract capital or high round draft picks.
They got two ones and a two in that group
in the last three years, and so certainly I would
describe that front as The Straw at Stir, The Defense
of Drink and Sensei.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
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 Tomlin Game Day podcast with Steelers Digest
editor Bob Labriola. Okay, coach. One of the things you
highlighted about the win over the Browns was quote playing
the game on our terms unquote A there are those
terms always the same? Or do they change based on
the opponent?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
They really changed based on the opponent. How did two
groups come together their personality versus ours? And by personality
I mean high volume concepts, style of play. Sometimes it
can refer to first and second down. Sometimes it can
refer to situations, the way they play possession down ball
or red zone personality. I just thought, largely, whether we're
(00:41):
talking about first or second down or situational ball, a
lot of the game was played on our terms, and
you like it when it's going that way.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
How does a sixth offensive lineman in the formation help
the running game?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
In terms of schematics, It doesn't change any of the schematics.
What it changes is the you know the side of
the blockers. When you got a six offensive lineman, you're
talking about fifty sixty seventy pounds difference between he and
a tight end and that fifty to seventy five pounds
is significant, particularly when you're dealing with four to three
ends you're blocking the likes of Miles Garrett and things
(01:15):
of that nature. You got a two hundred and fifty
pound tight end, generally you're losing or you're fighting for
a stalemate. You put a three hundred and twenty pounds
guy in that same combat and it's a different narrative.
And so it doesn't change necessarily the schematics, but it
certainly aids in the run game. Like I tell the
guys all the time, they weight classes in combat sports
for a reason, and we take that same principle of football.
(01:38):
By putting another fifty to seventy pounds or so on
the field.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Does an impact the defense at all? I mean in
terms of creating more gaps or that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
No, it's just the meat on meat, bone on bone
component of the competition. Oftentimes defenses use that of us,
use that as a signal of run or run action.
But as we displayed on the front play of the game,
we're willing to throw the ball out of that structure
as well, and so we just feel like it levels
the play and field, particularly when we're playing four to
(02:07):
three teams and they have the three hundred pound d ns.
You want to fight that fight fairly and need a
bigger man to do so.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
In talking about the Shawn Elliott's value to the team,
you have mentioned his ability to communicate on the field
during the pre snap process. What about the safety position
lends itself to being a hub of communication for the defense.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Just this location. He generally plays in the middle of
the field, and so he's able to communicate with people
to his right and to us left. It's the same
thing with the inside linebackers. Just the proximity of where
they are relative to the others puts them in a
natural position to be a hub of communication. And it's
certainly an unofficial responsibility of the position.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
So it's a situation where one guy's talking at a time,
or might you have a couple guys like Patrick Queen
and the show On Elliott in a situation like they
both be.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yeah, they're certainly central communicators. In any given play, you
can see three or four guys being what you could
describe as a hub of communication, and most of the
time those are guys that play on their feet and
play in the middle of the field. And so those
would include the two inside linebackers and generally the two safeties.
It is very difficult to communicate when you play on
(03:23):
the perimeter outside linebacker corner. The distance to sheer distance
between you and the others makes that a little bit
more difficult.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
During your time as a head coach, what have you
learned to do or not to do when playing Thursday
night games on the road.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
I've I've learned to take a nap on Thursday morning.
You know, it's ten pounds and a five pound bag
during the course of the week leading up to Thursday ball.
Monday and Tuesday in particular, are not enough sleep in
those days, and you do what you gotta do. We're
not paid by the hour, and so through experience, I've
(04:03):
learned to catch a little, you know, mid morning to
afternoon nap on Thursdays, and I get to the stadium
fresh and ready to go.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Do you try and get anything, any kind of work
with the team done on Thursdays or is that pretty
much done?
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yeah? But before that, yeah, we'll roll out of bed
on Thursday morning and get some hotel work, whether it's
meetings or whether it's in the ballroom in the form
of a walkthrough, we do it really to break the
day up, to get people out of their rooms, you know,
to come together a little bit, socialize, have brunch. But
I'd imagine I'm not alone in laying it down after
(04:43):
that morning in terms of getting the nap before we
head to the stadium.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
After the game against the Browns, Aaron Rodgers, without being
asked a question, called out Jalen Ramsey in a positive
way for getting himself ready to play quickly after injuring
a hamstring in Dublin. Some of the things Roger said, quote,
I can't say enough about the level of respect I
have for him. Then later he said, if there was
(05:08):
any question about the type of person that he is,
take away the incredible player, but the person and teammate,
I think he just showed all of us the kind
of guy he is by going out there and playing today. Okay,
So within the environment of an NFL locker room, there's
something like that carry more weight since it comes from
a teammate.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Without a doubt, and particularly the lives through which Aaron
sees it. Man, he's been in this league twenty plus
years and he knows what's special. To be quite honest
with you, and as I often say, it's not about
what you're capable of, it's about what you're willing to do.
And what Jalen displayed to him and his teammates was
(05:49):
just that. It was the display of will a guy
doing everything in his power to show up for his
teammates and respecting that component of team. And I'm sure
that he was less than one hundred percent. And in
today's game, there's so much judgment that comes with what
these guys do. Oftentimes guys don't have enough courage to
(06:11):
do that, to play it less than ideal circumstance because
of potentially not playing well. And he didn't let any
of that slow him down. He wanted to be out
there for and with his teammates and certainly those of
us that have been around this game a long time
and have a big time appreciation for that.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
So does Ramsey playing like he did and then Rogers
saying what he said about it unsolicited. Does that mean
anything for this group or tell you something about this group?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
You know? I think time will certainly tell that what
it is, to be quite honest with you, is an
education process. Aaron was not only complimenting Jalen, and definitely
Jalen was deserving of that compliment, but he was also
working to educate the younger player the things that you
do for team, the things that you need to be
(07:04):
willing to do for team. There's a lesson in all
of this for the younger inexperienced stealer. And I'm sure
there was a messaging component in that regard. From Aaron's perspective.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Joe Flacco is forty years old and he is in
his eighteenth NFL season. When it comes to the above
the neck part of playing quarterback, does he provide his
offense some of the things that Aaron Rodgers does when
it comes to pre snap diagnosis or the defense, the
ability to use cadence as a weapon, using the play
clock to his advantage, he.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Certainly provides some added value. I hesitate comparing it to Aaron, particularly,
you know at the quarterback position. All of those guys
are different. They're one of one, if you will, but man,
his presence raises the tide for the collective most certainly,
that's why you're excited about doing a doing business with
(07:58):
a guy like him. Have been there, done that type.
His arm talent is his arm talent. But I'm sure
there's an intangible quality to him that adds value. He's
had good experiences wherever he's been, particularly of late. He
had a good experience in Cleveland, That's why they brought
him back. He had a really good experience in Indianapolis.
Just listening to the words of his former teammates and coaches,
(08:22):
and I think that speaks to the intangible quality the
things that he brings. He's been on three teams in
this division, and I just think that there's nothing mystical
about that. There's some value on what this guy does
beyond what you see. That's why he's so employable, and
that's why so many people are willing to do business
(08:43):
with him for such a long period of time.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Joe Burrow won't play tonight, but Jamar Chase and t
Higgins will. What is the on field dynamic between those
two wide receivers.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You know, they work independently, but they really complement each
other well. You know, Chase is certainly capable of taking
the top off the coverage and doing run after things.
Higgins plays a goon game. He's a combat catcher, he's
a one on one winner, he's a red zone problem.
(09:16):
They're formidable tandem and one of the things that makes
them such a formidable tandem is their differences.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
So because there's two of them and the Bengals have
two of them, does that dictate the kind of coverage
of a defense might try to use or the kind
of coverage a defense cannot use? Because there's two.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
You know, two doesn't really slow you down. Three definitively
slows you down.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
You know.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I've just been in this league a long time. Man,
When I was a secondary coach twenty five years ago, Man,
that the greatest show on turf with guys like you know,
Holt and Ozac Kim and Isaac Bruce and guys like
that Ricky Pole. At times when it gets more than two,
(10:04):
that's when you really get handcuffed. In terms of some
of the schematic things most defenses, most strategists can handle
handle two.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Can you match up with two if you wanted to play,
you know, corners put one on.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Each without a doubt. Three gets more problematic. There's a
significant difference from a strategy perspective and appliability perspective regarding
strategy between two guys like that and three guys like that.
But it's also very difficult to assemble three guys like that.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
You know.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Very early in my career, Man, I was in the
Black and Blue Division with the Vikings, you know, and
they had Randy Moss and Chris Carter and Jake Reid
for example. It's problematic when there's three, but generally you
can manage two if you're sharp.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
The Bengals have a new defensive coordinator and Al Golden, who,
based on his resume, has spent a lot more time
as a college coach than an NFL coach. What did
you know about him and his defensive style and what
have you learned about him this week?
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Man, He's been around. He's an our grow disciple, if
you will, and so that puts someone that parcels tree.
I see some of that stuff in his play. Although
this is his first coordinator opportunity in the league, this
is not his first venture in the league. He actually
was a defensive assistant for the Bengals a number of
years ago, and so he certainly has league exposure. He
(11:37):
has league schematics, he always has even when he coached
college football, because of his background and the people that
he's worked with, and so I'm not surprised by what
I'm seeing is very sound I certainly respect it. You know,
I watched a lot of Notre Dame tape leading up
to the draft, and those were certainly Sunday schematics on
(11:58):
Saturday video last year watching his Notre Dame group.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
What's the strength of this Bengals defense, You know, I.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Certainly think it's upfront. Trey is is something to deal with.
They've invested a lot in that front. They've got two
young first rounders working working the opposite of him in Chamart,
the rookie out of A and M and Miles Murphy.
I think Miles is probably in his third year out
of Clemson. They picked up Slaton in free agency from
(12:26):
Green Bay as a nose as the interior guy. They
drafted Chris Jenkins in the second round a year ago.
They got a steady veteran in bj Hill from n
C State that's been in the league roughly nine or
ten years. And so, man, they got a deep and
diverse front.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
They've invested a lot in it, whether it's you know,
second or third contract capital or high round draft picks.
They got two ones and a two in that group
in the last three years, and so certainly I would
describe that front as The Straw at Stir, The Defense
of Drink and Sensei.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
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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