The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense has long been the team's cornerstone. While its performance has varied over the years, it has consistently remained respectable. Notably, as the Steelers' offense has struggled at times, the defense has been the backbone, sustaining Head Coach Mike Tomlin's impressive regular season winning record.
During a recent charity softball event, Steelers captain Cam Heyward hosted a podcast with former teammates Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel. On the Not Just Football podcast, they shared amusing stories from their playing days and couldn't help but reminisce about their former Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Line Coach, John Mitchell.
Mitchell, who coached the Steelers' defense from 1994 to 2022, was renowned for his unique and tough coaching style. Heyward recounted a funny story from one of his first encounters with Mitchell, highlighting the coach's memorable approach.
"When I first got here, I got drafted, I walk into the meeting, I was a day late because I had to sign my contract, and nobody was talking to me," Heyward said. "I'm like 'Ok, it is what it is.' Next practice happens, I'm out my gap, I don't know what I'm doing, I just got the playbook. He says to me, '97, you do that sh** again, your a** is gonna be looking at Walmart, trying to find Aisle 3 where the plants are.' And then he told me, 'I don't need you to be a playmaker. I got my playmakers. 98, 99, 91, 96.' And then he just went through the entire team. He was like, 'If you wanna get on this team, you better go on special teams.'"
Keisel, a veteran when Heyward arrived in Pittsburgh, was familiar with Mitchell's tactics. Mitchell had a unique way of appearing disinterested, which was meant to motivate players to prove their worth.
He treated all players equally, regardless of their draft status. Whether you were a first-round pick like Heyward, or a seventh-round pick like Keisel, you received the same tough coaching.
"That's the speech he gives everyone. 'I got my players' and honestly, it's such a driving force for you as a young guy and he's telling you nothing good," Keisel said. "It's like, 'You gotta get better. You gotta play like these other guys. I know who I got. Watch those guys.' And he's gonna push you like you've never been pushed before. I never have been pushed the way I was with Mitch and honestly, I am so grateful for it. He pushed me to be the player I was."
Keisel credits Mitchell for shaping him into the player he became, expressing gratitude for the tough coaching he received. However, he noted that not everyone could handle Mitchell's demanding style.
"Some guys, that didn't work. Like, we'd watch guys actually cry in the meeting rooms," Keisel said. "Are you crying right now? You can’t cry in the National Football League."
Keisel recalled that sometimes teammates would be brought to tears during defensive meetings, underscoring the intensity of Mitchell's coaching. The NFL is a tough league, where players either succeed or they don't. Mitchell's intention wasn't to be harsh for the sake of it; he wanted every player on his unit to fully understand the Steeler Way.
Steelers Fans Appreciate John Mitchell's Tough Coaching Style
Many Steelers fans appreciate Mitchell's coaching, which helped develop numerous great players and contributed to the team's success, including two Super Bowl victories.
The defense during Mitchell's tenure was special, featuring many outstanding players like Hampton and Keisel. Hearing anecdotes from former players about those times is always a privilege for Steelers fans.
