Mike Tomlin has been the coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers for 17 years. Tomlin has won a Super Bowl, attended two Super Bowls, had several offensive coordinators, firmly denied college coaching rumors, left a news conference when questioned about his salary, and much more since being hired in 2007. During that period, he has emerged as the face of the Steelers franchise.
However, the events in Baltimore on November 28, 2013, may be the one moment Tomlin wishes he could go back and change.
The Steelers sent the ball deep to the top football returner at the time, Jacoby Jones, eleven years ago. Jones would have had a touchdown after breaking down the left sideline. But he was caught from behind by Steelers CB Cortez Allen.
However, Jones was forced back inside and toward Allen, who made the stop, because Tomlin was practically on the field on the return.
It has been eleven years since gempic.twitter.com/rcgKQzZFaK Mike Tomlin
Tomlin would talk about what transpired on the sidelines that Thanksgiving night from his point of view years later. He claimed that he prefers to watch the game on the videoboard, so he was focused on that and could only move out of Jones’s way when he saw himself appear.
Tomlin stated on the Pivot podcast in 2022, “I’m thinking he’s going up their sideline because the Jumbotron picture is backwards.” It wasn’t until I saw myself on the Jumbotron that I realized I was in danger, man. I saw myself, therefore I stayed away from Jacoby [Jones]. I didn’t see him.
Tomlin expressed regret for the error and was fined $100,000 for the event. Whether deliberate or not, more than ten years later, it is still regarded as one of the most notorious incidents of Tomlin’s illustrious career.
Nevertheless, the Ravens won that game 22–20. The Ravens did not lose the game as a result of the play, but it is a recurring theme each year. It is unlike any other play in NFL history.
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