Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Christian Gonzalez praises Steelers' Mike Tomlin at NFL Combine

By Andre Y Curtis | Last updated 3/3/23

Mike Tomlin is winning the combine. Superstar CB Christian Gonzalez is yet another DB to say his favorite coach to talk to here has been the #Steelers head man. He called Tomlin “real” and “relatable” - and said he called his dad to say he’s even cooler than they thought.
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) March 2, 2023

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin wins over players at the NFL Combine as easy as Bill Belichick decides what to wear in the morning...a cut-off hoodie.

Christian Gonzalez, a 6'2" cornerback out of Oregon University, would be a superb selection for the Steelers in the first round of the NFL Draft. He has the size, speed and passion to be Pittsburgh's top cornerback.

The Steelers must be looking to strengthen their secondary after getting torched for touchdowns more than several times in 2022. Tomlin showcasing his swagger and likability to Gonzalez at the NFL Combine is something that only a handful of coaches in the NFL or any league could do.

Is the secret to never having a losing season to be as cool as a cucumber?

It would seem so.

Now entering his 17th season as head coach of the Steelers, Tomlin is only getting cooler and funnier with age. As one would expect, his coolness comes in clutch for Pittsburgh on game day.

Mike Tomlin dancing in the locker room after the game :joy::joy: pic.twitter.com/qUtnJvEkPE
— Steeler Thoughts (@Thoughts2FB) January 9, 2022

When Christian Gonzalez says Tomlin is "real and relatable," this is what he's talking about. He's dancing in the locker room with the rest of his players, with some being half his age. He talks to the players on the sidelines as if he's at a pub enjoying a beer with his best friends.

Tomlin's ability to make 19- and 20-year-olds like him plays a pivotal role for the Steelers at the NFL Combine.

The only reason we should not want the Steelers to draft a cornerback with their first pick is because last time they did was in 2016, and it was Artie Burns. Burns played four remarkably bad seasons for the Steelers before being on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.

Let's hope Tomlin can be chill under pressure come draft night. Oh wait, he's always cool.

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