"Change Is Good": Steelers' TJ Watt Doesn't Hold Back The Truth About Mike Tomlin Leaving

The Pittsburgh Steelers had to pull the fire alarm almost immediately after a Wild Card Round loss to the Houston Texans. Then-Head Coach Mike Tomlin would quickly make the decision to step down, which was very shocking at the time. The organization would soon go on to hire Mike McCarthy, which went against everything that the franchise had known since 1969. A young, defensive-minded individual was not brought in, but rather, someone with a plethora of experience on the other side of the ball. Returning players are going to have to get used to a much different way of doing things.

It's not just different in the Steelers' building because the head coach will focus on the offensive side of the ball. McCarthy has been in the NFL for a very long time, and some of his tactics and strategies are going to be nothing like those of Tomlin's. That's why Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp are precious workouts. Everyone can get on the same page prior to training camp beginning at the end of July.

It's fair if fans believe that certain veterans won't exactly be pleased with things changing around Pittsburgh. Athletes are creatures of habit, and individuals that have been on the roster for some time might not take a liking to what McCarthy is all about right off the bat. However, everyone is a professional, and there can't be any excuses moving forward.

After Wednesday's minicamp workout, plenty of players spoke with the media about how everything is going to this point. Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette got a chance to talk with veteran captain TJ Watt, who was certainly a massive fan of Tomlin. Despite that, the edge rusher was very clear about admitting that the change of pace isn't a bad thing at all.

"TJ Watt on some of the differences between a McCarthy practice and a Tomlin practice: “You don’t see benches out there anymore. It’s much different. Change is good,”" Fittipaldo posted to his X account.

Watt could have been referencing a number of things, but it seems as if he was saying that no one is getting excused from practice sessions to take breaks on the bench. Known as an absolute grinder, Watt is as hardworking as they come. He might have been feeling like there needed to be a little more discipline from the head-coaching side of things, which is why he appreciates how McCarthy is running things.

Watt's words speak volumes about how he digested the Tomlin news and got over it throughout the course of the offseason. As close as he may have been with Tomlin, it makes sense to be a professional about the situation and see the good in what has come along. The Steelers haven't won a postseason game since 2016, and Watt has never been victorious in the playoffs in his entire career. He, maybe more than anyone, could actually really be buying into McCarthy over Tomlin.

Pittsburgh has done a ton to revamp the roster since Tomlin left town, and now the expectation is that the Steelers could actually be better than some originally expected them to be. Leaders like Watt are going to have to step up throughout the year, so his words backing up McCarthy's practice sessions are meaningful. It's a good thing that there have been some adjustments, mainly because what was being done in the past wasn't enough; hence, the lack of success in January.

Steelers Might Be Buying In To McCarthy More Than Anyone Realizes

Players talk behind the scenes, and if Watt is openly saying that this transition from Tomlin to McCarthy has been good, then it's safe to say that others are feeling the same. This isn't an attempt to diminish anything Tomlin was able to accomplish; however, certain veterans may not have been wanting to accept the leadership change. Thanks to Watt's recent testament, it appears as if everyone is already on board, and sooner than expected.

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