There is one player in the NFL who caught Mike Tomlin’s eye early on, but allegiances to the Pittsburgh Steelers prevented him from ever acknowledging him.
During his time as the head coach of the Steelers, Tomlin was incredibly loyal to the franchise, taking every opportunity to praise his players.
But there was one player whom the coach always admired from afar, even if the rivalry between the star’s team and the Steelers kept Tomlin from praising him.
Why Mike Tomlin won’t ever mention Derrick Henry by name
Speaking on the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce, former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin addressed his decision not to say Derrick Henry by name.
While not mentioning him during the conversation, Tomlin suggested that Henry’s presence on the Baltimore Ravens, who were the Steelers’ rivals, meant that he never wanted to give his name any power in the eyes of his players.
Mike: “Prior to him being in Baltimore, I would call him by name. But once he got into the division. It’s like Ohio State and Michigan. You know what I mean? I hadn’t said that dude’s name, I can’t say his name.
“It was a way of making a point to my football team about how significant this dude’s presence was going to be in this rivalry.”
Travis: “That’s too funny. To all the 92% that don’t know what we’re talking about, coach Tomlin just did the call on the Ravens – Falcons game.”
During the Sunday Night Football broadcast covering the Ravens’ game against the Atlanta Falcons, Tomlin’s broadcast partner, Maria Taylor, explained why he won’t ever say his name.
Maria Taylor: “The big runner is Derrick Henry. He still will not say his name because he sends shivers down his spine.”
In a way, him not saying his name is actually showing Henry a lot of respect, as even after his coaching days with the Steelers are behind him, Tomlin is ensuring players don’t fear Henry too much.
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