Steelers Players Hated Tomlin at First

With a Super Bowl appearance in his second season, Mike Tomlin has assured himself a long tenure as Steelers coach. And now that he's safely established, some Steelers players are ready to admit that they weren't sold on their new head coach last year.

For Bill Cowher's reputation for jutting out his mammoth chin and letting a spit-filled tirade fly, he was a players coach. And while Tomlin is usually calm and collected on the sideline (if he's not chest bumping a player after a big play), he actually runs a very tight ship.

When Tomlin came in and took a more disciplinarian approach to coaching, the Steelers veterans reacted very skeptically.

"I think guys ... were kind of cursing it at first because we kind of didn't think he was listening to us. But now I think a lot of these guys realize what he has his hands on, and they respect him for it. It's definitely a totally different story now from when he first got here."

According to Washington, Tomlin is not nearly the softy that Cowher was. While Cowher would sometimes make his decisions based on what the players wanted, Tomlin seems more likely to make decisions based on his own gut instinct, whether the players like it or not.

For a team that slept walked through part of Cowher's final season -- failing to make the playoffs a year after going winning the Super Bowl, maybe that's just what the players needed. Two years in, it's hard to argue with the results.

AFC Championship Images

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes (R) dives for a touchdown past Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed in the second quarter in the NFL's AFC Championship football game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, January 18, 2009. REUTERS/Matt Sullivan (UNITED STATES) (Newscom TagID: rtrlthree219166) [Photo via Newscom]

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Baltimore Ravens' Ray Lewis pauses on the field as a teammate lies injured during the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL's AFC Championship football game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, January 18, 2009. REUTERS/Matt Sullivan (UNITED STATES) (Newscom TagID: rtrlthree219372) [Photo via Newscom]

Matt Sullivan, Reuters

PITTSBURGH - JANUARY 18: Safety Troy Polamalu #43 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates his touchdown with defensive end Brett Keisel #99, safety Tyrone Carter #23 and linebacker LaMarr Woodley #56 against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter of the AFC championship game on January 18, 2009 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Troy Polamalu;Brett Keisel;Tyrone Carter;LaMarr Woodley

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PITTSBURGH - JANUARY 18: Running back Willis McGahee #23 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs in a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the AFC championship game on January 18, 2009 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Willis McGahee

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PITTSBURGH - JANUARY 18: Wide receiver Hines Ward#86 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs the ball against Haruki Nakamura of the Baltimore Ravens during the AFC championship game on January 18, 2009 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Haruki Nakamura;Hines Ward

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Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee (23) fumbles as he is hit by Pittsburgh Steelers' Ryan Clark after a pass catch in the fourth quarter of the NFL AFC championship football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009. McGahee was injured on the play and left the game. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Julie Jacobson, AP

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is stopped on fourth down by the Pittsburgh Steelers defense during the first quarter in the NFL's AFC Championship football game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, January 18, 2009. REUTERS/Pam Panchak (UNITED STATES) (Newscom TagID: rtrlthree219164) [Photo via Newscom]

Pam Panchak, Reuters

PITTSBURGH - JANUARY 18: Nate Washington #85 of the Pittsburgh Steelers attempts to make a reception against Frank Walker #41, Jim Leonhard #36 and Ed Reed #20 of the Baltimore Ravens during the AFC championship game on January 18, 2009 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Nate Washington;Frank Walker;Jim Leonhard;Ed Reed

Gregory Shamus, Getty Images