PITTSBURGH — When Mike Tomlin reacted the way he did at his weekly press conference about rumors he could be in line for the head coaching position at USC, he was not only annoyed at the mere suggestion he would consider such a move, he was irritated at the people who started the rumor in the first place. He was not upset at the person who asked the question and lit the fuse.
Tomlin knew before he met with members of the Pittsburgh media that he was likely to be asked about the rumor that was floated nationally by former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and USC alum Carson Palmer on the "Dan Patrick Show." So, when he was, he was locked and loaded with his response.
Tomlin's indignation at the suggestion he might leave what he called "one of the best jobs in all professional sport" produced what could go down as his all-time classic line — "Never say never, but never." The response was so good it was as though it was scripted by a Broadway playwright. Then again, anyone who has listened to Tomlin over the years knows he routinely uses word phrases and sentence structures that would impress a Nobel laureate.
But, no matter what you think of Tomlin's diatribe — whether masterful response or curious overreaction — it should not go unnoticed that several members of the national media have suggested it might have racial undertones. That implication is being offered because, as he was getting ready to leave the press conference, Tomlin said, somewhat tersely, "Is anybody asking Sean Payton about that? Is anyone asking Andy Reid about stuff like that?"
Michael Rosenberg, a writer for Sports Illustrated, said in a column "it's probably easy to figure out" why Tomlin appeared annoyed.
"Payton is white. Reid is white," Rosenberg said. "If — if — Tomlin is annoyed by the racial implications here, he has every right to be."
Easy?
In this instance, the "racial implications here" are being raised by Rosenberg, not Tomlin. Did he or anyone else stop to think that perhaps Tomlin used those coaches as an example because they, along with Bill Belichick, are the only coaches who have been in the league longer than the Steelers coach?
It is one thing to say Tomlin might be feeling disrespected because those coaches don't get asked about college coaching jobs (even though Payton has). And there's probably a good chance that is what he is feeling. But to infer from those comments that Tomlin invoked the names of Payton and Reid merely because they are white is unfair to Tomlin.
In effect, he is accusing Tomlin of making it a racial matter, which is as unverified and ill-informed as the rumors that started this whole thing in the first place.
In February 2020, Tomlin asked to go on ESPN to defend his quarterback, Mason Rudolph, against an accusation from Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett that Rudolph used a racial slur that prompted his helmet-swinging incident in a November 2019 game in Cleveland. This was a Black head coach going on national television to defend his white quarterback against a racism charge by a Black defensive end.
It was a significantly powerful moment that went well beyond a coach merely defending his player. It was a moment that had nothing to do with color or race, just fairness and what was right.
It is unfair to Tomlin to suggest he implied it in this latest matter.
