Tomlin: The Soul of a Football Coach -- John Harris

In 2007, at the age of thirty-four, Mike Tomlin was hired as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Replacing Hall of Famer Bill Cowher--and two years removed from the team's Super Bowl XL victory--there was immense pressure on the first-year head coach, who many fans and those in the media were largely unfamiliar with. After five seasons as an assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a single season as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, the hiring came as a surprise to many. From his first day at the helm, numerous questions began to be asked: Was this young coach able to lead a veteran team that still had championship hopes? Could the newly hired, soft-spoken coach be able to fill the shoes of the great Cowher, known for being brash and outspoken? Was his hiring based solely on the "Rooney Rule"--named after Steelers owner Dan Rooney--which states that every team must interview at least one minority candidate for their open head coaching position? <p/> Not only did Tomlin rise above the questions and criticism about his credentials, he continued the franchise's reputation of excellence. The youngest coach to win a Super Bowl in only his second season at the helm, Tomlin has yet to have a losing record in sixteen seasons with the team. He is also the second-most tenured head coach in the league, only behind Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots. <p/> But the question still unanswered is, who is Mike Tomlin? Known for giving little to the media a