Steelers HC Mike Tomlin Postgame Transcript 9/21
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STEELERS HEAD COACH MIKE TOMLIN
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
September 21, 2025
MT: Man, it’s great to win in the National Football League. Appreciative of the efforts today. Certainly required 60 minutes of effort in all three phases to get it done. Certainly, there’s a lot of things to work on, but it’s good to do that with a win. A couple things of note. I thought we started fast offensively, but then we stalled out obviously, particularly in the second half. A lot of credit goes to New England, their defense and what they were doing. They were major components of that. Defensively, I thought we were really tight in the red zone and things of that nature. I thought we could have been better on possession downs. Thankfully, we took the ball away from them to alleviate some of that lack of possession down success. All in all, it was a good team victory. We fought for 60 minutes. We utilized a lot of people, specialization of talent, division of labor, things of that nature. Still finding our way with the number of new people, people out and things of that nature. So, it was a good experience. No significant injuries to mention. [Darius] Slay missed some time in the game with a leg contusion. I think he was able to get back in and finish, same with Broderick [Jones], but we’ll stack this one.
Q: Mike, two big takeaways down there by the goal line, how big was the one at the end of the half?
MT: Huge. That’s why we spend as much time practicing down in that space as we do as a collective. We’ve got to be great on defense in an effort to win the points swing. We’ve got to be great on offense. When you take the ball away, you get all seven points. Usually you’re fighting for four, but man, those takeaways, particularly down there, were big.
Q: Mike, do you see that as technique with some of the things you’re working on in practice with the punching and stuff like that?
MT: No question. We spend a lot of time on our ball-search culture. But it’s just words, it’s an agenda. The efforts of the guys make it real, not only on Sunday but during the course of the week. It just felt like we were headed toward a good game in that area, just the way we worked this week in that area.
Q: Mike, the passing game wasn’t really clicking, but in the end, boom, boom, boom, right down the field, Aaron [Rodgers] makes the plays.
MT: That’s oftentimes the case, man. It can not be going the way that you desire, but you’d better have enough emotion, you’d better have enough belief. You’d better stay the course in an effort to do it. You can say the same thing about the defense in New York, and we were able to finish it at the end. Same thing with the offense today, but that’s what team is about.
Q: You were pounding your chest walking out through the tunnel, does this win have any more significance other than just, “it’s good to win in the NFL,” as you just said?
MT: It’s good to win in the NFL, as you just said.
Q: Mike, Rhamondre Stevenson, obviously fumbles have been an issue throughout his career. Was that a coaching point for you guys this week?
MT: It was, but it is every week. We identify opportunities, and certainly he had some fumble issues last year. And so, it was an agenda of ours.
Q: What are your thoughts about how Derrick Harmon played in his regular season debut?
MT: I was appreciative of his efforts, excited for him. He’s a competitor. He wanted to be out there with his teammates. I thought he represented himself well today. And so, it’s upwards and onwards from here.
Q: I guess 97 [Cameron Heyward] didn’t surprise you?
MT: Never. 97 and 90 [T.J. Watt], never surprised.
Q: What kind of challenge did Drake Maye provide for your defense today?
MT: His mobility is an issue, particularly in some of those short yardage moments, fourth down-and-1s and things of that nature. Quarterback play, I thought, was a factor in some of those things. He got out on the edge on us and extended some possessions, but not that we were surprised by it. It’s a component of his game, and it’s a component of his game that we respect.
Q: Mike, [Brandin] Echols played a lot more snaps. Can you speak to the tackle and the effort that he showed?
MT: He’s been real solid, but he’s been real solid throughout this whole process for us, team development and so forth. He made some big plays today, the interception, the fourth down tackle. He was engaged in the game. He is a good teammate, and I’m glad we got him.
Q: What did you think of [Jabrill] Peppers today, coming straight back to New England after picking him up earlier this week?
MT: I thought he played with great energy and communication. For a guy that’s new, his level of communication is unique in terms of adjustments and so forth. But he’s a veteran. He’s got a good passion for the game, good relationship with the game and certainly it’s good to win.