Get a load of Tomlin's recent gems from today's column by Bouchette about Big Ben.
On Ben being more of a leader this year:
"I've only been here one year," Tomlin said. "Those leadership kinds of things don't really show themselves during the offseason. Live bullets have to be flying for those things to be showing themselves. I sensed those characteristics in him back in the spring, but he's confirming them now."
On Ben convincing Tomlin to put him back in the game with the rest of the first unit after the injury:
"He got complete medical clearance from our medical staff," Tomlin said. "He had a desire to do it. He's a competitor. This is a competitive game played by competitive men, coached by competitive men. Guys walk on the field; they desire to walk off the field. I wanted to give him that."
And finally, on Ben's sustained success on 3rd-down this season:
"As the kitchen gets hot, the chefs display themselves."
Love it.