https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/mike-tomlin-steers-clear-of-acrisure-stadium-grass-talk
Mike Tomlin may be a players’ coach, but he’s still a company man.
Asked during Tuesday’s weekly press conference whether he has concerns about the quality of the field at Acrisure Stadium, Tomlin steered clear of saying anything that would reflect poorly on the organization that is ultimately responsible for the football workplace.
“Not from my perspective, man,” Tomlin said. “I am not a grass expert. I haven’t cut my grass in a long, long time. I coach football. I’m gonna stay in my lane. I don’t even know who cuts my grass.”
He’s far more likely to keep the job that allows him to not know who cuts his grass by not giving Art Rooney the Andrew Berry treatment in a public setting.
Watch the clip. Tomlin came off as completely unbothered. Frankly, Tomlin should be livid. The shoddy sod created a safety risk for his players. He should demand better for them.
The comments from team leaders like Cam Heyward and Aaron Rodgers were loud and clear. Hewyard said, “Honestly, it was shit.” Rodgers called it “borderline unplayable.” Players from both teams expressed “outrage” to the NFL Players Association.
The fact that Tomlin isn’t a grass expert doesn’t disqualify him from learning enough about the process to ask tough questions and to make strong demands on those responsible for the turf.
But Tomlin knows to tread lightly when it comes to the grass at the stadium where his team plays. He knows not to say what needs to be said: That if ownership prioritized ensuring that the field was perfect (like they do in Green Bay), it would be.
He’ll instead leave it to others to send the message. And it’s a simple one. Owners who are reaping hundreds of millions in annual profits should be spending more money to ensure that their players have the best and safest conditions in which to otherwise assume a wide risk of physical ailments that can and will result from playing tackle football at the highest level.
This isn’t criticism of Tomlin. It’s a practical assessment of the very pragmatic way he handled a potentially sticky situation.
He knows who butters his bread. He wasn’t about to create a sound bite that would make the man who holds the knife look bad.
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/mike-tomlin-steers-clear-of-acrisure-stadium-grass-talk
