SpezialK
02-17-07, 10:50 AM
PITTSBURGH -- Mike Tomlin is starting his fourth week as the Pittsburgh Steelers (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=pit)' coach, and he has yet to talk to every player.
One he has been talking to, and quite often, is Ben Roethlisberger (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6770).
Tomlin has spent considerable time watching game tapes, but wasn't ready Monday to say what he thought went wrong with a quarterback who was good enough to win the Super Bowl in his second season but slumped badly in his third.
To Tomlin, the 2006 season is over and won't be revisited, either by the coach or his quarterback.
"A lot of times, the quarterback gets too much credit for winning and too much blame for losing," Tomlin said. "I'm not rushing to judgment about Ben and what happened. I'm more focused on having quality play in 2007 than trying to get something rectified when I wasn't around."
So far, the two haven't talked about Roethlisberger's off-field activities, such as motorcycle riding. Roethlisberger never blamed his near-fatal June motorcycle crash for his falloff in play, but he never looked as strong or as confident last season as he was while going 27-4 in 2004 and 2005.
Not that Tomlin was hesitate to do so, if he felt it was necessary.
"You will find I have very few boundaries in terms of things I'm willing to talk to people about," Tomlin said. "Whether or not he takes it [any advice] is another thing."
Tomlin said it was obvious why he felt it necessary to start building a relationship with arguably the Steelers' most important player.
"I have talked to him more than most [players] -- it is the quarterback position in the NFL. We have to have an understanding of what we need to do and he's a big part of that," Tomlin said.
Still, Tomlin said, "I put no more responsibility on him than I would anyone else, and that's to realize you represent not only yourself and family but the Steelers and the NFL, so conduct yourself with class."
Tomlin isn't worried that some Steelers players are disappointed that neither Ken Whisenhunt nor Russ Grimm was hired as former coach Bill Cowher's replacement. The two former assistants were seen as the front-runners after Cowher resigned last month.
At last week's Pro Bowl, guard Alan Faneca (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4288) told The Associated Press, "When Cowher retired, everybody in the league wanted two of our guys, so you'd think we would want at least one of them. ... Hopefully, it will work out for the best."
"Transition is never easy, particularly at a place like this that's had great stability," Tomlin said, referring to the Steelers having only three coaches since 1969. "Some organizations get quite used to change, and this is not one of them, thankfully. But you don't expect it to be easy or comfortable for everyone."
That's why Tomlin doesn't see the necessity of selling himself to his players.
"I'm not here to entertain them, or win them over immediately with glitz and glamour. That's short-lived," he said. "I'm going to be myself, and get started about the business of putting together a great football team."
On other topics, Tomlin said quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple was let go and Ken Anderson was hired not because of dissatisfaction with what happened with Roethlisberger last season, but because Anderson has so much experience as an NFL player and coach.
Also, Roethlisberger will be asked to do no more than "play winning football, manage the game, do the detail things that keep the chains moving and light up the scoreboard," Tomlin said.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2763538
One he has been talking to, and quite often, is Ben Roethlisberger (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6770).
Tomlin has spent considerable time watching game tapes, but wasn't ready Monday to say what he thought went wrong with a quarterback who was good enough to win the Super Bowl in his second season but slumped badly in his third.
To Tomlin, the 2006 season is over and won't be revisited, either by the coach or his quarterback.
"A lot of times, the quarterback gets too much credit for winning and too much blame for losing," Tomlin said. "I'm not rushing to judgment about Ben and what happened. I'm more focused on having quality play in 2007 than trying to get something rectified when I wasn't around."
So far, the two haven't talked about Roethlisberger's off-field activities, such as motorcycle riding. Roethlisberger never blamed his near-fatal June motorcycle crash for his falloff in play, but he never looked as strong or as confident last season as he was while going 27-4 in 2004 and 2005.
Not that Tomlin was hesitate to do so, if he felt it was necessary.
"You will find I have very few boundaries in terms of things I'm willing to talk to people about," Tomlin said. "Whether or not he takes it [any advice] is another thing."
Tomlin said it was obvious why he felt it necessary to start building a relationship with arguably the Steelers' most important player.
"I have talked to him more than most [players] -- it is the quarterback position in the NFL. We have to have an understanding of what we need to do and he's a big part of that," Tomlin said.
Still, Tomlin said, "I put no more responsibility on him than I would anyone else, and that's to realize you represent not only yourself and family but the Steelers and the NFL, so conduct yourself with class."
Tomlin isn't worried that some Steelers players are disappointed that neither Ken Whisenhunt nor Russ Grimm was hired as former coach Bill Cowher's replacement. The two former assistants were seen as the front-runners after Cowher resigned last month.
At last week's Pro Bowl, guard Alan Faneca (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4288) told The Associated Press, "When Cowher retired, everybody in the league wanted two of our guys, so you'd think we would want at least one of them. ... Hopefully, it will work out for the best."
"Transition is never easy, particularly at a place like this that's had great stability," Tomlin said, referring to the Steelers having only three coaches since 1969. "Some organizations get quite used to change, and this is not one of them, thankfully. But you don't expect it to be easy or comfortable for everyone."
That's why Tomlin doesn't see the necessity of selling himself to his players.
"I'm not here to entertain them, or win them over immediately with glitz and glamour. That's short-lived," he said. "I'm going to be myself, and get started about the business of putting together a great football team."
On other topics, Tomlin said quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple was let go and Ken Anderson was hired not because of dissatisfaction with what happened with Roethlisberger last season, but because Anderson has so much experience as an NFL player and coach.
Also, Roethlisberger will be asked to do no more than "play winning football, manage the game, do the detail things that keep the chains moving and light up the scoreboard," Tomlin said.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2763538