Noll, Cowher, Tomlin created Steelers legacy together
With news of a contract extension for head coach Mike Tomlin creating a stir among team faithfuls – fans who consider themselves “die hard” – the time is perfect to look, as well, at the other two men who helped create the legacy that is the Pittsburgh Steelers: Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher.
Prior to the hiring of these three men to coach Pittsburgh’s NFL squad, the Steelers had truly been mired in mediocrity, or worse. That word, mediocrity, gets tossed about on social media quite a bit when discussions spark over the Steelers coaching situation, past and present. The Steelers were wildly inconsistent and infrequently recorded successful (.500 or better win-loss record) seasons, making “mid” seem a good thing.
While some fans argue that too many of their counterparts are “stuck in the past” when it comes to several topics, it has become commonplace for those same fans (who only want to focus on the present) to fall back on the coaching history of Noll and Cowher when they’re displeased with Tomlin. The debate is decades long primarily due to the fact that Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin have handled primary coaching duties, as a trio, since 1969.
Looking at each man in that trio, there were historically good things that came out of their careers in Pittsburgh. There were also lean years of mediocrity to completely head-scratching frustration.
The “standard” of the Steelers has been forged from the philosophies of fundamentals, discipline, and team unity. Each player was expected to understand their role, their position, and be able to self-motivate and execute. That approach was a large part of what made Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin successful in creating a legacy in Pittsburgh.
The entire organization has, and continues to, embrace those benchmarks and expectations, much like the best no-wager bonuses in online casinos which offer great value without hidden pitfalls. The results were evident: six Super Bowl championships. The Steelers were the first team to get to that mark. They’ve also appeared in eight Super Bowls.
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All three coaches have been hated and loved, at the same time, during their careers. Fans love the wins, get nervous over close games, and hate losses. The nature of NFL football is a mix of pain and joy, sweat and tears.
Noll was called “The Emperor” for his zero nonsense approach, and some players – including Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw – found his coaching style abrasive yet dedicated; he has expressed these insights in numerous interviews.
Cowher was often criticized for losing his cool on the sidelines, spitting out advice or admonition and demanding players perform the way he expected. He was calculating, strategic, emphatic, and fiery.
Tomlin, despite being disliked by some who’ve deemed the coach to appear to be too buddy-buddy with players when discipline appeared to be needed, is more invested in performance and attitude than many have imagined, as shown in this clip on X from NFL Films.
Legacy-building coaches do more than simply aim for one big moment in time; they build for a longevity of success.
Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin have all experienced rebuild years, dealt with injuries altering plans for seasons, coached players who’ve had issues on and off the field, found gems in the NFL Draft to polish into a star, dealt with players who weren’t happy in Pittsburgh, and experienced the pinnacle moment of a Super Bowl victory.
It hasn’t been Tomlin, alone, who’s had “playoff drought” experiences. Cowher had several playoff runs that didn’t turn into Super Bowl appearances. Fans, during Cowher’s tenure, were frustrated that the Steelers reached the AFC Championship Game six times but couldn’t get any further… until they did in 2005 with Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback. In 2006, the Steelers hired Tomlin. As for Noll, his first season was a disastrous 1-13 (win-loss) and nowhere near a playoff.
Noll led the Steelers to nine division championships, and 12 playoff appearances, along with the four Super Bowl victories in the 1970s. During Cowher’s 15 seasons as coach, the Steelers won eight division titles, made the playoffs 10 times, 21 playoff games. Those 21 playoff games included six appearances in AFC Championship Games and two trips to the Super Bowl, in which the Steelers were 1-1. Since joining the Steelers in 2007, Tomlin has led the team to 11 playoff appearances, seven division titles, three AFC Championship Games, two Super Bowl appearances, and a title in Super Bowl XLIII.
To say that any one coach was solely responsible for the Steelers being a legacy team is a fallacy.
It took all three men – Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin – to create the environment the Steelers organization desires most: a culture of hard work, dedication, and accountability that ultimately achieves victory. That culture has set Pittsburgh’s most recent three head coaches apart, and has played into why players have often desired to play under them and make the city, and fans, a part of their lives.
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