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==Coaching career==
==Coaching career==
===College===
===College===
Tomlin's coaching career began in 1995 as the wide receiver coach at [[Virginia Military Institute]]. He spent the 1996 season as a graduate assistant at the [[University of Memphis]], where he worked with the defensive backs and [[special teams]].
While playing football in college, Tomlin repeatedly got raped .Tomlin's coaching career began in 1995 as the wide receiver coach at [[Virginia Military Institute]]. He spent the 1996 season as a graduate assistant at the [[University of Memphis]], where he worked with the defensive backs and [[special teams]].


Following a brief stint on the [[University of Tennessee at Martin]]'s coaching staff, Tomlin was hired by [[Arkansas State University]] in 1997 to coach its defensive backs. Tomlin stayed there for two seasons, before being hired as defensive backs coach by the [[University of Cincinnati]].
Following a brief stint on the [[University of Tennessee at Martin]]'s coaching staff, Tomlin was hired by [[Arkansas State University]] in 1997 to coach its defensive backs. Tomlin stayed there for two seasons, before being hired as defensive backs coach by the [[University of Cincinnati]].

Revision as of 20:14, 24 January 2008

Mike Tomlin

Mike Tomlin (born March 15, 1972) is an American football head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.

Tomlin, 35, is the second-youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports, older only than Oakland Raiders' head coach Lane Kiffin. He is the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history.

Playing career

Tomlin attended Denbigh High School in Newport News, Virginia, and was a three-year starter at wide receiver for the College of William and Mary. He finished his career with a school-record 20 touchdown catches and was a first-team All-Yankee Conference selection as a senior. Tomlin never played in the NFL.

Coaching career

College

While playing football in college, Tomlin repeatedly got raped .Tomlin's coaching career began in 1995 as the wide receiver coach at Virginia Military Institute. He spent the 1996 season as a graduate assistant at the University of Memphis, where he worked with the defensive backs and special teams.

Following a brief stint on the University of Tennessee at Martin's coaching staff, Tomlin was hired by Arkansas State University in 1997 to coach its defensive backs. Tomlin stayed there for two seasons, before being hired as defensive backs coach by the University of Cincinnati.

National Football League

Assistant Coach

Tomlin was hired as the defensive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001, where he first learned the Cover 2 defense that he would use in later coaching jobs.

In 2002 and 2005, the Buccaneers led the NFL in total defense (fewest yards allowed per game) -- during Tomlin's tenure, the defense never ranked worse than sixth overall. When the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII in January 2003, the team recorded five interceptions, three which were returned for touchdowns.

Tomlin was selected by Vikings' head coach Brad Childress to be his defensive coordinator in 2006. Two of the players on the Vikings were older than Tomlin, and Tomlin had been a teammate of Vikings' safety Darren Sharper at William and Mary.

The 2006 Vikings finished with the NFL's eighth-best overall defense, but had the unusual distinction of finishing as the top-ranked defense against the run,[1] and the worst-ranked defense against the pass.[2]

Head Coach

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tomlin became the Steelers head coach on January 22, 2007, when he was hired to replace Bill Cowher, who resigned after spending 15 years with the team. Tomlin had also interviewed for the head coaching vacancy with the Miami Dolphins, which eventually was given to Cam Cameron.

Tomlin joined Cowher, who was hired at age 34 in 1992, and Chuck Noll, who was hired at age 37 in 1969, as Steelers' head coaches who were hired in their 30s.

Tomlin is the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history and the first in Steelers franchise history. Steelers owner Dan Rooney has served as the head of the NFL's diversity committee and proposed the Rooney Rule, requiring that teams interview minority candidates when selecting a head coach. Tomlin's ascension to a NFL head coaching job has been cited as evidence of the rule working as intended. [3]

Terms of Tomlin's contract have not been released officially. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports a four-year deal ($2.5M each year) with an option for a fifth year. He is the third consecutive Steeler coach to win his first game, and the first head coach in Steeler history to win his first contest against the archrival Cleveland Browns.

In a stark contrast to Bill Cowher, who only retained longtime running backs coach Dick Hoak from Chuck Noll's staff (Hoak himself retired just before Cowher's resignation), Tomlin did retain many of Cowher's assistants, most notably defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau despite his contrasting defensive philosophy with Tomlin. This was done in order to keep team chemistry with the players, since the team was only one year removed from a Super Bowl win at the time of Tomlin's hiring. The Steelers finished Tomlin's first season as head coach with the number one ranked defense in the NFL.[4] Tomlin led the Steelers to the 2007 AFC North Division championship and a 10-6 record in his first year as head coach. The Steelers lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Jacksonville Jaguars 29-31.

Head Coaching Record

  W-L Record   Regular Season   Playoffs   Total
Season Team Wins Loses Ties Winning % Wins Loses Winning % Wins Loses Ties Winning %
2007 Pittsburgh 10 6 0 .625 0 1 .000 10 7 0 .588
Total 1 season 10 6 0 .625 0 1 .000 10 7 0 .588

Coaching tree

NFL head coaches that Mike Tomlin has served under:

Assistant coaches under Mike Tomlin that became head coaches in the NFL:

  • None

Miscellanea

  • Tomlin and his wife, Kiya, have two sons, Dino and Mason and a daughter Harlyn Quinn.
  • Tomlin is a Spring 1991 initiate and a Charter Member of the Xi Theta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, at The College of William and Mary.
  • Tomlin is often noted for his strong resemblance to actor Omar Epps.[5][6]

References and notes

  1. ^ "2006 regular season defensive rushing stats". NFL.com. Retrieved 2007-01-22. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ "2006 regular season defensive passing stats". NFL.com. Retrieved 2007-01-22. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ "Tomlin proof NFL's Rooney Rule is working as intended". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 2007-09-15. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ "Steelers finish with top defense". "Pittsburgh Post Gazette". Retrieved 2008-01-01.
  5. ^ Hickey, Patrick (2008-01-04), NFL Picks from "A Mush", Telegram & Gazette, retrieved 2008-01-12 {{citation}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ Simmons, Bill (2007-10-27), Perfection, triple negatives ... and free tacos!, ESPN, retrieved 2008-01-12 {{citation}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
Preceded by Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinators
2006 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coaches
2007- 		Succeeded by
Incumbent

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