Very similar situations....Cowher went to a bowl with them...then they retired/left via FA like we are seeing now. Cowher then built the team that went on to win a SB for him and another for Tomlin. Let's see if Tomlin can now build a stud team now that the vets are leaving.
Cowher had Rod and Lloyd till around 96 or 97, so around 5 years each, but the last year or two of each of their careers in Pgh were spent injured. Sort of like Troy and Harrison. So Cowher and Tomlin took over teams with some talent, I never said they didn't. What I said is lets see if Tomlin can build the team that Cowher did.
Cowher...A buddy??? What did you watch or what did you read? Cowher was anything but someones buddy on the field. He didn't wait to approach you. He would get you coming off the field.
I didn't see you mention Cowher inheriting a SB QB. Noll's last 7 years here saw the Steelers miss the playoffs 6 out of 7 years. Cowher came in coming off of the Malone / Brister run with O'Donell coming off his 8 start 2nd year. Cowhers run had O'Donnell, Tomzak, Stewart, & Maddox before he got BB. The names Aikman, Young, Favre, Ellway, Warner, & Brady highlighted the SBs over that time. Yeah...Cowher had the talent at QB to compete with that. So Tomlin inherits a team that was in the playoffs 4 out of 6 years with a SB win, a franchise QB, and possibly double the hall of famers & Pro Bowlers...But you think Cowher came into the same talent situation? Wow. Disagree there. Did you forget Cowher took that team he inherited to the playoffs the first 6 years he was here before his first 2 losing seasons? I'm not going to compare their body of work yet but Tomlin's has to take "his core" of players back to the top before I anoint him better than Cowher. That is where he is at right now. Tomlin got to utilize BB in his prime since he came here. My expectations are higher because of that and need to be met before I give him his due acolades. The real Mike Tomlin will stand up over the next 2-3 years.
I have no problem with your fist two picks. To be honest, like all the players in your mock. Just don't know what they are thinking or how the offseason pans out.
The Steelers signed Brian Rolle to a future contract. I'm starting to get the feeling the Steelers are leaning toward an ILB later, if at all, because they know the status of Spence & Foote. Spence may be a PUP canidate & Foote brought back as insurance. Rolle would be good depth & ST player. Rolle could very well find himself on the field with Timmons sliding over. Maybe Foote won't be brought back...Who knows. I'm starting to lean towards an ILB later now. Someone like Nico Johnson if he falls in the 3rd or Kiko Alonso in the 4th.
When I see a player kiss Tomlin, I will believe that he's the players' "buddy"...
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I didn't intend for this thread to be about Cowher vs Tomlin, only that Cowher is getting ansy and might want to re-enter the NFL as a coach.
As I stated the speculation is there every year about Bill, what he will do is up in the air as it always is until he says one way or another what his intentions are.
From what I'm gathering, Bill is content with his current gig, but at the same time the rumor is he wants a new challenge. He got the chance to spend time with his kids, so whats left but what he knows. If he does return to coaching I wish him well, no matter where he goes or what he does he's still a pittsburgh guy.
He did well in his life, not bad for a guy from Crafton!
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