”Figure This Sh*t Out”: Steelers’ Mike Tomlin Sent Kendrick Green Clear Message After He Was Traded

The Pittsburgh Steelers have experienced a ton of unexpected change throughout the 2026 offseason. The resignation of Mike Tomlin surprised football fans everywhere, and now the team will embark on a journey without him for the first time in almost two decades. Despite the team’s unfortunate playoff win drought dating back to 2017, he should ways be respected in the Steel City. Going 19 straight seasons without a losing record isn’t something to frown upon. Since he stepped down back in January, plenty of stories have come out regarding his leadership style. This will continue to happen over the course of several years.

One of the more interesting trends throughout the last few years of Tomlin's tenure in Pittsburgh was the strange movement of offensive line. Many players seemed to either bounce around and ultimately be playing out of position. It's one of the main reasons that Omar Khan has been focused on rebuilding the trenches dating back to the 2023 offseason.

One of the best examples of mistakes that were made of late happens to be regarding 2021 third-round pick Kendrick Green. He projected as an interior lineman and after the retirement of Maurkice Pouncey, the Steelers' staff threw Green right into the fire to play center. It did not go well, and he ended up immediately getting benched in his sophomore season.

Green opened up about his time with with the Steelers when he joined The Fehoko Show on Tuesday evening. He admitted that he definitely should not have been playing right away during his rookie campaign.

"I'm telling everyone what to do [as the starting center]," Green said. "I'm like, 'How do I block this dude? What's my technique?' I'm spinning. I think, looking back, I had no business being out there as a rookie. I was not ready."

After his sophomore campaign, the Steelers traded Green to the Houston Texans where he transitioned to guard. He played much better in that spot. He reflected on what Tomlin told him when it all happened, and Pittsburgh's former head coach did not hold back.

"He told me when [the Steelers] traded me, 'We probably didn't put you in the best position to develop,'" Green stated. "He said, 'So what, this is your career, not mine. You gotta figure this sh*t out. Go live that life.'"

A lot has to come to mind for fans when reading that. For starters, Tomlin admitted that the team did not do right by Green from the moment he was drafted. Additionally, he was challenged by his then-head coach to get everything in order.

At the time, the Steelers' offensive line coach was Adrian Klemm. The fan base was never happy with him due to the inconsistent play upfront, and Green detailed how Tomlin would call Klemm out in meetings after commenting on Green's worst moments.

"I [was in] a team meeting every week. [Tomlin would say], 'KG, we gotta get this, this cleaned up,' yada, yada, yada. 'I'm not no o-line coach, fix that sh*t," Tomlin said to Green and Adrian Klemm. "It would just be that. He would literally say that. 'I'm not a line coach, Klemm, that sh*t needs to be fixed yesterday.'"

This information sheds a new light on Tomlin. He wasn't just not afraid to call out players, but coaches too. Unfortunately, it never worked out with Green and the decision to start him right away at center was not a good one. Tomlin admitted that much and Green was much better off in Houston, as he ended up starting 17 games there in 2024, even after a 2023 meniscus tear.

Steelers Can't Afford To Make Any More Mistakes On The Offensive Line

Pittsburgh will not have Tomlin on the sideline in 2026 for the first time in almost 20 years. There are certainly things that will be missed about the legendary coach, but the misusage of offensive linemen will not be on that list. After Organized Team Activities (OTAs) began on Monday, head coach Mike McCarthy has a clear vision of reshuffling the unit, and the hope is that it will be for the best.

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