T.J. Watt: Mike Tomlin conducts 'incredible' team meetings
Fans don’t get a glimpse of the Steelers as they carry on during the week. That’s too bad. T.J. Watt would love for people to listen to “Mike T” during otherwise mundane team meetings.
Apparently, the Steelers coach Mike Tomlin can inspire, motivate and explain like no other. At least, that’s Watt’s view.
“Mike Tomlin, I’ve said this my whole career here,” Watt told reporters this week. “Never too high, never too low, always consistent. The team meetings are incredible. Everybody, I wish they had a chance to sit in those team meetings. And I think it’s just him giving a great message to us and running with it. And guys having true belief in this locker room and the guys in it.”
Steelers must beat Ravens for chance at wildcard
The Steelers are 9-7 as Pittsburgh preps for their season finale, a road game against the Ravens. Baltimore already has secured the top seed in the AFC. But Pittsburgh must win Saturday’s game, then hope either the Jaguars or Bills lose on Sunday. To even have a chance at the post-season is a testament to Tomlin pulling his team back from a precipice. After all, the Steelers lost their first three games of December. It was a part of the schedule that should’ve been easy. But they lost home games to the Cardinals and Patriots and a road contest to the Colts. Indianapolis is the only one of the three still in the playoff hunt. The other two will receive prime first-round picks for their 2023 futility.
“There’s been a lot of outside noise,” Watt said. “But at the end of the day the guys have been working their (tails) off and trusting in each other and it doesn’t matter how depleted we are. We understand that’s happening all over the league. But if we want to win games, it’s going to take the guys in this building.
“We’ve really taken and run with it. I think none of that is possible without Mike T at the top.”
Watt earned team MVP honors for the season
The Steelers announced this week that Watt was the team MVP for the fourth time in his career. His teammates vote on the award, so it’s a meaningful honor. Plus, with 17 sacks, Watts is tied for the NFL lead with Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson. He was an obvious choice.
“Anytime my peers see the amount of work I am putting in and show respect for what I’m trying to do is super gratifying,” Watt told reporters. “All you want is to have respect of the people that you work with day in and day out. Just continually trying to get better on and off the field as a leader to try to help this team anyway I possibly can.
“I’d be lying if I told you this didn’t mean something to me. Doesn’t matter how many times it is, each and every year I’m trying to find ways where I can get better.