Steelers coach Mike Tomlin 'messing' with WR Martavis Bryant

He's been praised for being tall and productive. NFL.com's Around the League says he'll be the 8th most productive rookie wide receiver. He's drawn a much higher level of attention than most fourth-round draft picks do.

That, of course, means Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is focusing on making sure Bryant isn't reading his own headlines.

Tribune Review reporter Mark Kaboly astutely points out the possibility of Tomlin going down the classic "one trick pony" route with the athletic and raw receiver, but writes Tomlin hasn't played that card as of yet. Tomlin apparently has other cards to play, according to Bryant.

"He's been talking to me," Bryant told Kaboly. "He's been messing with me a lot. I like it, though. He's a good coach." Kaboly finished the bit with: "Bryant said Tomlin gets on him for 'getting tired sometimes and stuff like that.'"

One thing we've learned about Bryant so far is his simplistic approach to speaking in front of the media. Most athletes may not want to admit, indirectly or otherwise, that their coach appears to feel stamina is a challenge for them. It seems like Tomlin's less concerned with the pony's trick-playing ability and more with the pony simply being able to last through the race.

It's early yet, though. He could have the endurance of a middle distance track star, it wouldn't conceal his relatively low amount of savvy in terms of running routes. He's also a 22-year-old rookie, and looks every bit of it; younger even. Tomlin digging into him now seems par for the receivers' course in his world, so if Bryant "likes" it, then everyone's happy.