Steelers Legendary Coach Bill Cowher On Heartbreaking Lack Of Discipline In Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has come under fire this season and the team appears to be falling apart. Fans and the media are calling for him to be fired by the Rooney family as the Steelers lost three in a row to very beatable teams. Tomlin is currently in his 17th season with the Steelers and while he has won a Super Bowl, many feel he has lost his touch. They cite the deterioration of morale on the team, the lack of discipline from the players, as well as the losses as proof. This makes the fans hold Tomlin's predecessor, Bill Cowher, in high regard.   

One of the biggest complaints being made about Tomlin is that the team lacks discipline. This year's roster has lost what it means to be a Steelers player. This comes in large part from the actions of two wide receivers - Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. Fans are outraged over Pickens' seeming lack of effort and concern. 

In the recent loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Pickens was seen not blocking for running back Jaylen Warren as he tried to get into the end zone. As soon as the play was over, social media began to go wild. In response, Pickens told the media he didn't want to get hurt. The situation was only further exacerbated by Warren commenting that he and Pickens play different games, stating that he would have blocked for Pickens. 

The Steelers have only had three coaches since 1969, Chuck Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin. All three have been vastly different men, but one factor they have all had in common is running a tight ship. Discipline has never really been an issue in Pittsburgh and if it was, they cut ties with those players. Tomlin always upheld these same standards, he even kept diva wide receiver Antonio Brown in line for years. 

Recently, Cowher appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and Pat McAfee asked him about the lack of discipline in Pittsburgh. Cowher said it really comes down to effort. 

"My whole thing was I wanted them to walk on the field, you are the best at what you do, no matter what your role is. And you have a swagger about you, confidence, a bit of cockiness about you and the only thing I'll ask you to do is walk that line and if you cross that line, I'm gonna pull you back. Which is what? Being disrespectful to the game, being disrespectful to the opponent, being disrespectful to a teammate, like not blocking. If you cross that line, I'll pull you back, but damn I want you to walk as close as you can to that line as possible. If I don't have to pull you back every now and then, then you're not getting close enough."

McAfee joked that he holds Cowher responsible for creating this highly disciplined team image. Cowher said he always felt it was his job to keep things simple for the players. They need to understand the plays and what is expected of them. He said if they were spending too much time thinking, then he knew that he needed to change things up. But the one thing he never wanted to see was a lack of effort.    

When Tomlin spoke with the media following the loss to the Colts, he was asked about Pickens. He was as cryptic as always and did not give the media the pound of flesh that they were clearly looking for. He said that in his opinion, it is an education issue and that Pickens needs to keep his mouth shut; not create drama. 

Steelers Players Need To Get On Board Or Get On The Road

Cowher told McAfee that what's been happening in Pittsburgh got under his skin. He stopped short of saying that he wouldn't tolerate that kind of behavior. He did say that kind of unity in a team is the most critical factor. While you can teach a lot of football skills, you cannot teach togetherness, just provide a framework for it to happen.  

In Cowher's opinion, Tomlin needs to get back to laying down the law. The "Steelers Way" isn't for everyone, but it needs to be something that is respected and honored by everyone on the team. 

"Football is not for everybody. No one is forcing them to be out there. If you don't like it, then maybe this is not the right team for you to be on. We're not for everybody. I expect certain things, I expect certain efforts, I expect you to hold yourself a certain way with our community. A much higher standard. You're a role model whether you want to be or not. And if you can't accept that, that's fine, there are other teams, so go somewhere else. I'd rather have [a team] that's together, that's united. That team that won the championship, I had more talented teams, but no closer teams. Those guys would fight for each other, they played for each other, and they were there for each other every step of the way."

The Steelers sit at 7-7 and still have an outside shot of making the playoffs. But to be able to make any kind of run at the postseason, the players will have to get their act together. Someone needs to step up as a leader on the team and unite the players. They all need to look in the mirror and hold themselves and each other accountable.