The Pittsburgh Steelers have had Head Coach Mike Tomlin at the helm for 18 seasons. While Tomlin has his critics, mostly about his lack of playoff wins in recent years, this shouldn't surprise anyone; the Rooney family is loyal. Tomlin does have his supporters, particularly among his former players. Nearly every time a player leaves Pittsburgh or retires, they are asked about their time with the iconic coach.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation.com (Twitter / x: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers' former guard Kevin Dotson is playing better in Los Angeles.
Former Steelers' guard Kevin Dotson is no exception. Dotson, who grew up in a family of Steelers fans, was a fourth-round pick by his favorite team in 2020. He recently told Ari Meirov on NFL Spotlight with Ari Meirov that it was a dream come true. His childhood plan was to be able to play with these men he considered his heroes, and that included playing for Tomlin. Meirov asked Dotson what he learned while playing for the Super Bowl-winning coach.
"You know, you kind of learned that sometimes negativity is needed," said Dotson, who described his head coach of three years. "You can't be coddled. You can't be eased into a lot of situations. If they tell you to play some position, you got to play it. They don't really care if you've never played it before. They pay you to do a job and you got to do the job. That's something I learned that kind of sticks with me now because I'm just like, if I get into a situation, I gotta make it work no matter what."
This isn't the usual overt high-praise comment Tomlin gets. However, Dotson had a different experience. He worked his way up to starting his third season. The Steelers decided what they'd been doing wasn't enough and put more capital into improving a weak offensive line. They drafted tackle Broderick Jones with their first pick in 2023 and signed Isaac Seumalo, who won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles prior, to a three-year $24 million contract.
The Steelers told Dotson it was simply a matter of adding depth to the line and that he would get a chance to compete. He told Meirov that he felt blindsided by the trade that came before the start of the 2023 season to the Los Angeles Rams. Despite all that, he never badmouthed the organization and appreciated the opportunity he was given.
Carrie Giordana / Los Angeles Rams
Former Steelers guard, Kevin Dotson is excelling with his new team.
That opportunity led to great things, as Dotson has thrived in Los Angeles. The blame is often put on Offensive Line Coach Pat Meyer, as Dotson's production dropped when he came on board in 2022. Now, Pro Football Focus has named Dotson one of the best guards in the league. They said he proved in 2024 that his first season with the Rams, where he was the second-highest-graded guard in the league, wasn't just luck. He was once again ranked in the top 10 in 2024, even though his passing grades took a hit. His run blocking was exceptional, with three games graded at least a 90.0.
Steelers Did Leave Kevin Dotson With A Chip On His Shoulder
While Dotson might have been a consummate professional, despite feeling let down by his team, Steelers fans and the media did not extend him the same courtesy. Dotson told Meirov that he took a lot of hate during that transitional time.
Part of that came because of comments he made about Seumalo's signing. Dotson told the media that Seumalo was getting paid like that, which told him all he needed to know. Despite the penalties, he felt he hadn't played poorly enough to warrant a trade.
Matt Durisko / ap photo
Former Steelers guard Kevin Dotson reacts after a holding call.
He said that part of why he believes he performed so well with the Rams is because those comments put a chip on his shoulder. He said he knew the trade was coming when the team didn't call him back after paying Seumalo. He decided right then and there to put everything he had into his next opportunity.
Are you surprised by Dotson's comments about Tomlin? Tell us what you think below!
#SteelerNation
