A Condemning Story Of Former Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin Is Uncovered

The Pittsburgh Steelers have seen some massive changes during the 2026 offseason, with the biggest one obviously being former head coach Mike Tomlin stepping down from his role. News broke the day after Pittsburgh was eliminated from the postseason that Tomlin would no longer coach the team as he had the desire to step down and take some time off. This came after a couple of tumultuous years for the franchise. The organization still saw success, but the fan base wanted more than what it was being given. Since that news broke, many former players have spoken out about interactions with Tomlin. Most have been positive, while a few were negative.

Some prominent players have spoken out about Tomlin, with the most notable being both James Harrison and Ben Roethlisberger. Harrison spoke about some disagreements he had with the former coach during his playing days, but nothing was that big of a deal. However, on Monday, Breiden Fehoko spoke about how he was treated when he had first child while he was playing for the Steelers. He posted about the situation on X after mental health amongst NFL players was a hot topic of discussion following the tragic loss of Rondale Moore.

"After the birth of my son that same night, my coach called me and while I thought he was calling to congratulate me, he told me on the phone, 'Remember what your day job is,' Fehoko wrote. "I remember sitting in the hospital mad and confused. It’s not even this situation that comes to mind when I think about mental health awareness in the NFL. Ask any player that’s suffered from injury and ask them how excluded they feel from the team. The only time a coach talks to you is when he’s basically threatening your job so you rush back knowing you aren’t 100 percent."

After some light digging, it was clear that Fehoko had his son around the start of June in 2024. This was learned from a post on his Instagram. During that time, Fehoko was a member of the Steelers. He spent parts of the 2023 and 2024 seasons in Pittsburgh, and he also re-signed with the team briefly in 2025 before being released, and he announced his retirement in the middle of the season. He was under contract in Pittsburgh at the time of his son's birth.

It is no secret that football coaches are absolutely diehard when it comes to the sport. A lot of these guys sleep in their offices. Just before Super Bowl LX, Mike McDonald said that he only sees his son at home for about 30 minutes per week. That shows just how dedicated some of these coaches can be, so this message Fehoko received from Tomlin shouldn't be all that surprising. However, it was the middle of the offseason. It was the start of June, and there was no need for Tomlin to say anything other than congratulations to the defensive lineman.

Tomlin is often praised for being a player's coach, but this type of behavior is the complete opposite of that. His message could be seen as almost a threat. As if Fehoko didn't remain as focused as always on being a player, he would lose his job. This story of Tomlin is completely off putting, but it should probably be expected in the NFL.

Steelers And The Rest Of The League Should Prioritize Player's Mental Health

The mental health of players in the NFL has been a hot topic ever since Moore tragically passed away. Many current and former players have spoken up regarding the situation, and it is clear that more things need to be put in place to make sure that the league and its teams are doing everything to keep players at their best mentally. Fehoko and other former players are making it their duty to speak up on these matters.

"I’ll continue to speak up for the players who feel they can’t because of that toxic culture," Fehoko wrote on X.

This isn't just about the Steelers, but it is about the NFL as a whole. The situation that happened between Fehoko and Tomlin probably happens all around the league, and there is likely much worse cases.

Please feel free to share your Steelers takes and thoughts with me on X (@brogannoey) and consider following for more Steelers-related content and discussion. I read and respond. 

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