Former Steelers WR Jerricho Cotchery Explains The Truth Of Playing Under Mike Tomlin

In 2011, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a strategic move by bringing in veteran wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, shortly after his release from the New York Jets. The decision to acquire Cotchery was driven by the Steelers' desire to bolster their receiving corps with experienced depth behind stars Hines Ward and Mike Wallace.

At the time of Cotchery's arrival, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders were emerging talents entering only their second NFL season. Over the course of his three-year tenure with the Steelers, Cotchery made significant contributions, appearing in 43 games and tallying 12 touchdowns. Additionally, he amassed 79 receptions for 1,044 receiving yards, showcasing his reliability and leadership both on and off the field.

While Cotchery may not have been a focal point of the offense, his steady presence and veteran leadership proved invaluable in the locker room. Recently, Cotchery shared insights into his football journey on the Sports Spectrum Podcast, where he shed light on his experiences playing under the iconic Steelers Head Coach, Mike Tomlin, during his three seasons with the team.

"He was awesome. He was everything that you would want a coach to be. Some coaches are X's and O's. Some coaches just know how to deal with personalities and know how to get guys to Sunday and all of that. But he was everything in one."

Tomlin has long been revered as a remarkable leader, but Cotchery believes there's more to him than meets the eye. While Tomlin's leadership qualities are widely acknowledged, Cotchery suggests that his football scheme and coaching prowess shouldn't be underestimated either.

"He was great with the X's and O's. Everybody knows, everybody that's come across him knows that he's a really smart guy," he said. "And he studies a lot of film and so he knows you're gonna know your opponent when you play for him."

Despite occasional claims from Steelers fans that Tomlin struggles with game planning and preparation, Cotchery insists that nothing could be further from the truth. Cotchery recently unveiled what he believes to be Tomlin's greatest trait.

"I also saw him as a master at handling personalities. Not just the personalities where you see guys that are screaming and wanting the ball or just the really passionate guys in that sense. Even the quiet guys, even the guys that aren't as vocal, he knew how to tweak those guys to get them ready for the game. I was really impressed with my time there. Loved him as a coach."

In 2013, his final season with the Steelers, he delivered his best performance, hauling in 46 receptions for 602 receiving yards. Despite his advancing age at 31, he proved to be a touchdown machine, reaching a career-high of 10 touchdowns that season.

While he may not have been a focal point of the offense and didn't start in numerous games during his tenure in Pittsburgh, he had the privilege of witnessing Tomlin's coaching prowess firsthand. The wide receiver room was brimming with talent at that time, with Brown and Sanders emerging as stars on the horizon.

Steelers’ Mike Tomlin Eager To End Playoff Drought

Throughout his impressive 17-year tenure with the Steelers, Tomlin has consistently led the team to success, never experiencing a losing season—a remarkable feat in itself. Yet, while victories in the regular season are commendable, the true measure of success in Pittsburgh is a Super Bowl championship, a standard upheld by the franchise's storied history of six titles.

In recent years, however, the Steelers have fallen short of Super Bowl contention, with their last playoff victory dating back to the 2016 season. Frustration has mounted within the organization and among fans alike, prompting a renewed determination to reclaim their championship pedigree. Tomlin shares in this sentiment, eager to guide the team back to the pinnacle of NFL success, where competing for Super Bowls—not merely above-average regular seasons—is the ultimate goal. As anticipation builds for the 2024 season, excitement abounds for the Steelers and their pursuit of football's ultimate prize.