The Lawyer’s Well-Being Brief

What can we learn from the NFL coach who threw out “My Child is an Honor Roll Student” bumper stickers?

“If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.”- Thomas A. Edison

The NFL season kicks off tonight when the defending champs, the Kansas City Chiefs face the Detroit Lions. The rest of the 30 teams start their seasons on Sunday or Monday. Each team is led by a different head coach. Each head coach has his own specific style. Some of the coaches are more successful and accomplished than others. One such coach is Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

Mike Tomlin was named the 16th head coach in Pittsburgh Steelers history on January 22, 2007. Hired at the age of 34, Tomlin became only the third head coach hired by the Steelers since 1969.

In his 16 seasons as head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tomlin has accomplished many things that have never been done in the team’s storied history. A franchise known for stability at the head coaching position, Tomlin ranks among the League’s longest-tenured active head coaches entering the 2023 season.

Tomlin became the youngest head coach in NFL history to both coach in and win a Super Bowl when he led the Steelers to a 27–23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII (36 years, 323 days), a record that held until it was eclipsed by Sean McVay in Super Bowl LVI (36 years, 20 days). By winning the Super Bowl in only his second season as a head coach, he also became the fastest to win a Super Bowl title in Steelers history.

During his head coaching tenure in Pittsburgh, Tomlin has led the Steelers to seven AFC North titles, most recently in 2020, and has guided the Steelers to the playoffs 10 times, including two trips to the Super Bowl (XLIII and XLV). In his 16 seasons, he has never had a losing record. Under his leadership, the Steelers have achieved consistent success, due in part to his hard work, determination, and coaching prowess.

Mike Tomlin’s journey to becoming an NFL head coach is an inspiring story. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Memphis. From there, he worked his way up the coaching ranks, with stops at…