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Finding comfort in Mike Tomlin leading the Steelers into the playoffs

The Steelers may not be playing their best football and may be undergoing some struggles in terms of leadership, but Mike Tomlin is still an outstanding leader and can lead this team if they can follow.

By Neal Coolong
Gregory Shamus

With all else collapsing around the Steelers, doesn't it just feel natural to look back to 2008 and find inspiration?

Super Bowl championships are not about the best team - or at least the definition of the best team is far more than the team with the most talent. It's about depth, quality of preparation and coaching.

All of those things are about leadership.

The 2008 Steelers were chock-full of leadership. We could debate for hours over whether the 2008 team was still singed with the brand of Bill Cowher, but the roster decisions that year, offensive and defensive plan selections and practice and game plans still went through Mike Tomlin.

From the defensive assault of the San Diego Chargers in the divisional round to the gritty three-phase (not including the Sweed Phase) performance against Baltimore to one of the most dramatic drives in Steelers history, Tomlin's leadership permeated the team as well as inspired the on-the-field leaders - Ben Roethlisberger, Santonio Holmes, James Farrior, Hines Ward, James Harrison and Troy Polamalu come to mind.

The Steelers have dug themselves a bit of a hole in 2012. The leadership between this year's team and the one in 2008 obviously isn't the same. While Tomlin can - and should - be held somewhat responsible (no more and no less), he's still the coach I'd want leading any team of mine into the playoffs.

I hope it's this one, but if not, I'd have Tomlin lead any other team there, and expect outstanding leadership.

Weigh in on which coach you'd want leading your team into the playoffs by clicking here!


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