The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long and storied past. As one of just two teams in NFL history to have six Lombardi Trophies, expectations in the Steel City are extremely high on a yearly basis. That fact has gotten Head Coach Mike Tomlin into some trouble within the last decade or so, as the organization has not won a playoff game since the 2016 campaign. This has left fans questioning if he is still the right man for the job. There certainly is a lot of pressure entering 2025, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Tomlin will be going anywhere anytime soon, regardless of the results.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin roams the practice field as his team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
No matter what the fan base has to say about Tomlin, he is constantly lauded by his players for having unique and passionate messaging. He is able to get his group ready for any kind of atmosphere, which is a trait that is hard to find in a head coach. Thousands of professional football players have come across Tomlin since he took his current role back in 2007, and the stories seem to be never-ending.
Justin Hartwig only spent two seasons with the Steelers before being released in 2010, but he was able to work as Ben Roethlisberger's starting center for the entirety of the 2008 and 2009 campaigns, one of which ended in a Super Bowl championship. The retiree caught up with Bob Greenburg during a high school football practice for Wilmington Area High School, a program that Hartwig helps out with. He detailed why he ended up in Pittsburgh during the 2008 offseason.
"The one thing that we had with Coach Tomlin that I think is crucial, and to what they're doing here at Wilmington, is having a vision," Hartwig said. "The vision with Pittsburgh is all about winning, sticking Lombardis, and from the time I sat down with Mike Tomlin in the spring of 2008, he directed me to the vision and said, 'We think you can be a part of that vision. We think that you could help us to win football championships.'"
Despite Tomlin's recruiting efforts, the Steelers weren't the only team that wanted to bring in Hartwig during that offseason. The Kansas City Chiefs also were interested in the center.
"I had an opportunity to sign with the Steelers and I had an opportunity to sign with the Chiefs at that time, and at that time in 2008, the Chiefs were rebuilding. I think they'd won a couple games the year before and to have an opportunity later in my career to go be a part of something special, which that season turned out to be, I was very thankful for the couple years I spent in Pittsburgh."
A center is one of the most important players on any football team, and Hartwig did a solid job in the Steel City, starting all 32 regular season contests over his two-year tenure. It also doesn't hurt for him to look back and be a part of Tomlin's lone Super Bowl victory as a head coach.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and then-quarterback Ben Roethlisberger celebrate after winning the AFC Championship Game to move onto the Super Bowl.
Tomlin may not have the best track record of late, but countless stories come from former players about his ability to connect with, and get the best out of his team. He knew that he wanted Hartwig to be his starting center for the 2008 season, and made sure to let the center know that he had the opportunity to be part of something special. As Hartwig mentioned, it ended up playing out exactly like Tomlin predicted.
The recruitment of Hartwig is even more impressive when one keeps in mind where Hartwig is from. He didn't grow up too far from Kansas City, so Tomlin was able to sway him towards Pittsburgh instead of in the direction of the team he grew up rooting for.
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Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin watches his players practice during 2023 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Career For Steelers' Hartwig Ended Abruptly
Hartwig ended up signing a four-year extension with Pittsburgh in 2009, but he was beat out in 2010 training camp by Maurkice Pouncey, which ultimately led to his release. He did not play a professional regular season game again, but will always be able to say he was the starting center for the Steelers' Super Bowl XLIII team, and he continues to remember Tomlin's messaging to this day.
Do you think that Tomlin still has a unique way of connecting with the Steelers' locker room? Let us know in the comments below!
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