For many fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s simply remarkable that the team got anywhere close to where they did, finishing the season with a non-losing record after starting 1-4, and without their franchise quarterback. They even at one point won seven out of eight games and began to look like one of the hottest teams in football.
The thing is, the same reason that they were able to reach that turning point, before falling short, is the same reason that the downturn is so painful for this locker room. It all stems from head coach Mike Tomlin and his sincere devotion to the principle that ‘the standard is the standard’, an aphorism that, in time, every player in the locker room ultimately embraces.