The Steelers head coach says he knows his actions are watched closely
During the Steelers’ pre-draft press conference, general manager Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin answered questions from the media about the draft process.
Tomlin was asked about his Pro Day habits, in specific his trip to Ohio State’s Pro Day to see Justin Fields a few years ago now that he is on the roster. Tomlin gave somewhat of a surprising answer.
“Sometimes at Pro Days, I’m looking at people I’m not interested in because I know everyone’s watching,” Tomlin said. “To be bluntly honest, there’s not a lot of my peers that work on the Pro Day circuit the way that I work. And so I understand that my movement, what I pay attention to, who I conversate with all becomes media fodder. And so sometimes I have fun with you guys.”
The Steelers acquired Fields shortly after signing Russell Wilson and subsequently trading Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles. It was no secret that at the time of Fields entering the draft, Mike Tomlin was a big fan of his. Plus, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Tomlin would have drafted Fields had he fallen to the Steelers in 2021.