The word is out: If you want to play “Make A Deal” with Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers, you had better understand the meaning of the Latin term, “Caveat Emptor.” After 18 years as the head man in Pittsburgh, buyers and sellers across the NFL have learned to be extremely leery and cautious of the wheelings and dealings of Tomlin; the other 31 teams should definitely beware of getting fleeced.
Here is the proof.
Pittsburgh Steelers Seek Playmaker at the Trade Deadline
The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, November 5, at 4:00 pm ET. Between now and then, many rumors have surfaced with big-name players. Already traded to other teams are wide receivers Amari Cooper, Davante Adams, and DeAndre Hopkins. However, with Cooper Kupp and Mike Williams reportedly on the trading block, the smart money is on the Steelers to land one of those remaining whales.
According to a story published on bolavip.com, Pittsburgh wants to upgrade at that important receiver position to match the moves made in the off-season to acquire quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Miguel Angel Fernandez Castro, a writer for bolavip.com, reports that “the Pittsburgh Steelers are currently favorites in the odds to land Cooper Kupp (-125) if the Los Angeles Rams indeed are willing to make a blockbuster trade. According to a report from Dianna Russini, Sean McVay could approve the operation. Chargers (+400), Buccaneers (+600), and Lions (+700) are also in the race, but, according to experts, Mike Tomlin should have a clear lead.”
Blockbuster Deal Would Not be the First in Tomlin Era
Head coach Mike Tomlin is infamous when making transactions. In other words, he almost always makes deals that benefit his team while the other side of the negotiation gets the much shorter end of the proverbial stick.
To take that a step further, that insight plays a huge role in why Tomlin has never had a losing season in 18 years. Quite simply, he makes deals for the betterment of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jack Markowski of si.com simplifies this sentiment: “He hasn’t achieved those levels of success by allowing any friction or animosity to run rampant within the organization, and if there was any inkling that something was about to erupt in the past, he pulled the plug before it had a widespread effect.”
When he made moves from guys like Santonio Holmes, Martavis Bryant, Antonio Brown, and Chase Claypool, the Steelers, according to Josh Carney of Steelers Depot, all four cases “the Steelers came out on top in each trade, both on the field and off the field.”
Mike Tomlin: Superhero?
Fox’s Jay Glazer did not mince words with his praise of Tomlin’s business skills. Appearing on the NFL on Fox podcast on Tuesday, October 22nd, actually tried to warn people not to do business with Tomlin when it comes to trades. But, Glazer points out, teams do not listen and the other team loses badly.
“It is a superpower of his to keep everyone together on the same page,” said Glazer. “And you don’t hear things about people until they leave. I tell people all the time, ‘Don’t do business with Mike Tomlin.'”
Glazer continued: “Don’t because you’re gonna think you’re getting this choir boy, and then they come over here and you’re like, ‘Oh, he ain’t a choir boy. Man, this guy’s disruptive.’ Right? It’s hilarious.”
In a league where the average tenure for a head coach is only 3.2 years, Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers has blown that statistic out of the water by lasting almost six times that figure. How? By keeping a roster filled with players that he can handle and trust. If history repeats itself, look for Tomlin to go fishing for that next big catch before November 5 to keep his incredible non-losing season streak alive.
