Best Mike Tomlinisms from the Steelers’ post-Matt Canada press conference

Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin has no shortage of quotes that will undoubtedly etch themselves in the brains of fans for all of eternity. He offered plenty of them in his first chat with the media following Tuesday’s announcement that the Steelers fired Matt Canada as offensive coordinator.

Question: “When did you tell the locker room [that Canada had been fired.”

Mike Tomlin: “I hadn’t.”

Question: If you hadn’t told the locker room, how did they find out that there was a chance at coordinator?

Tomlin: “Probably from you guys.”

Question: Was this your decision and your decision alone, or was this made collectively with Omar [Khan] and Art [Rooney II]?

Tomlin: “Leadership is lonely. I don’t run from it; I run to it. It was mine and mine alone.”

Question: What went into the thought of dividing [OC duties] between two men?

Tomlin: “We’ve still got to coach running backs. We’ve still got to coach quarterbacks. The strength of the pack is the pack.”

Question: Are these final seven games important, critical in the long-term development of Kenny [Pickett]?

Tomlin: “I’m focused on this week in terms of the devolpment of Kenny. We’re not urinating on the fire, man. We’re getting ready to play a football game and win this week; that is the only agenda here.”

Question: You mentioned that you just saw Kenny [Pickett]. Did you have any conversations about this? How was he reacting?

Tomlin: “I was actually going to do my television show, and time was pressing, so no, there wasn’t time for a conversation. It was just a [gestures with chin] a chin-up.”

One-off Tomlinisms

• “There’s such a thing as football justice, man, those guys usually get what they’re looking for.”
• “I often say, football is our game, our business is winning.”
• “I didn’t have time to talk to [Kenn Pickett

In case you missed it, the Steelers shouted out some of their favorite Tomlinisms over the summer at training camp.

Watch the 2023 Steelers’ favorite Tomlinisms.

What are your favorite Mike Tomlin-isms? Join our Behind the Steel Curtain community and share it in the comments!