‘Where we are is unacceptable’: Mike Tomlin featured in HBO show on lack of Black coaches

During an interview with HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin offered his initial public remarks on the NFL’s recent hiring cycle, joining a chorus of voices from the franchise on the matter.

Tomlin assumes a prominent role in Gumbel’s exploration of why the league features only three Black head coaches, despite seven new hires being made during the offseason, with only one being a Black candidate (Houston’s David Culley). In line with his previous statements, the most successful Black head coach in NFL history as of 2020 took a decisive stance on the issue during the episode airing at 10 p.m. on Tuesday.

Gumbel confronts Tomlin early in the program, referencing the coach’s presence in owners’ meetings where such discussions occur. “I know you hear the right things, but as African-Americans, all of us are accustomed to hearing promises and discerning insincerity,” Gumbel states, reflecting on how former Steelers team president Dan Rooney championed “The Rooney Rule” league-wide, subsequently appointing Tomlin to succeed Bill Cowher a few years later.