Troy Polamalu says Mike Tomlin’s approach to adversity defines Steelers football culture

Troy Polamalu relates to how Mike Tomlin handles adversity leading the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have an all-time coach in Mike Tomlin, and Troy Polamalu knows that.

In an NFL season where there are even more challenges than normal, due to the ongoing coronavirus, the Steelers’ hall-of-fame safety gives us all a better understanding of why Pittsburgh is 5-0 and among the best teams in the AFC.

Defense may win championships, but how you remain resilient in times of adversity is how to establish a strong winning culture.

Handling adversity ties Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin together.

When you’re discussing a football organization that has employed only three head coaches since 1969, you obviously want to look for the connective thread throughout eras. Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher may have been of a different generation, but how they approached adversity has helped parlay into what has made Tomlin so successful in his decade-plus run leading the Steelers.

“One thing I really admire about Coach Tomlin is his approach to adversity,” said Polamalu to FanSided on behalf of Head and Shoulders. “He’s someone who has dealt with a lot of it in his life. He’s really able to convey that to all the teams he’s been a part of. Yeah, he has the mantra of Next Man Up, but I think the more important thing is he preaches that life is going to have adversity.”

Polamalu pointed out that part of being a Steeler means asking yourself one important question: How can you be resilient in times of adversity?

But while that’s been a common thread throughout different eras in Steelers football, Polamalu says Tomlin has modernized an old way of thinking.

“It’s important to have a very strong coach, but it’s also just as important to have a very relatable coach. I’m not so sure a Coach Cowher or a Coach Noll are so relatable in today’s environment. I think that’s another unique characteristic that Coach Tomlin has. Being relatable to all 52 players as well.”

Relatability, but having a connection to the past is why the Steelers haven’t experienced a down cycle as an organization since the very early 1970s. Polamalu feels this season for the Steelers is not all that different from what the 2010 team he was a part of had to do to get to the Super Bowl, despite the offseason being so tumultuous because of the player lockout.

“The last Super Bowl run that we made might be the most relatable season to what we’re going through now. We were dealing with the player lockout. With that, it actually brought us all closer together. I think one of the more unique things was we were the only team to vote down the CBA, when compared to the 31 other teams. So that gave us a little more chip on our shoulder.”

It’s still early in the campaign, but this certainly feels like the Steelers’ best last chance to win a Super Bowl with Ben Roethlisberger as its starting quarterback. Polamalu is pulling for “Big Ben” to do it because he’s the only remaining player from the Steelers’ last three trips to the big game. If he can plant the seed in his teammates’ minds, Pittsburgh could have one unforgettable season.

How Tomlin and his team handle adversity this year will determine if Lombardi No. 7 is imminent.

Troy Polamalu spoke with FanSided on behalf of Head and Shoulders and as a Madden Ratings Adjustor, helping 99 Club member Patrick Mahomes at the very least get to 100 on his hair rating.