Mike Tomlin has offered many, many famous phrases during his long career as the Head Football Coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. While there are certainly some that he’ll never live down (“Unleash Hell” didn’t work out so well) there are many that will live in much greater posterity. One of these many phrases that was uttered dates back to the Covid season when Tomlin’s team was faced with playing 13 straight weeks in a row. When asked about this prospect, his answer was simple.
“We do not care.”
Fast forward to today. It’s the morning after the 2024 schedule has been announced and while we haven’t heard any comments from Tomlin yet, I can only imagine what he’s thinking behind closed doors. He already knew that his men would face the toughest schedule in the league based simply on last year’s results. Tomlin will embrace this and use it as motivation for his team I have no doubt. But even has to be thinking “What did we do to deserve this?”
For those thinking that the NFL hates the Steelers and finds ways to screw them over any chance they get, I understand. But that’s just not the case. There isn’t one fan base today who isn’t complaining about something from last night. That said, the Steelers already difficult slate took on a significantly new meaning when one gazes at the end of the schedule.
Between weeks 11 and 18 the Black and Gold will play all six of their division games. This means they will go the first ten weeks of the season without having played a single, divisional foe. For sake of comparison, the Browns will have played two divisional games and the Bengals and Ravens will have played three by the time Week 10 hits.
Why does this matter? Because divisional games aren’t “normal” games. These are rivals. These are teams you play twice every, single season. The fans hate you and you hate them. Simply put, they take more out of you as a player.
But then consider that the Steelers other two games in that stretch are at Philadelphia where they haven’t won since 1965 and home to Kansas City on Christmas afternoon. Oh and here’s the real kick in the balls…
- On December 15th, the Steelers play in Philly.
- On December 21st (Saturday and on six days rest) they host Baltimore.
- On December 25th (Wednesday and on three days rest) they host the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs
It’s never good for players to play three games in 11 days but it’s even worse when those three weeks are 15, 16 and 17. This is usually the place where I go on my rant about the NFL and their ridiculous stance on “player safety.” I won’t though. It is what it is and the players know it but it doesn’t mean they have to like it.
As for Mike Tomlin, I’m sure the wheels are already spinning. The cliche machine is likely in overdrive thinking about how he can use this to his advantage and I have no doubt he will. But that comes after the part where he looks at the second half of the schedule and thinks “Holy shit.”
