Jets Adam Gase on Steelers Mike Tomlin: 'He's Steady'

The Pittsburgh Steelers may not make the playoffs this year but it might end up being the best coaching job Mike Tomlin has done since taking over the team in 2007. Tomlin’s accomplishments this year has normally understated New York Jets head coach Adam Gase praising the job done by the longtime Steelers head coach.

At 8-6, the Steelers have a very good chance of making the playoffs should they win out (a sweep of their final two games won’t be easy as they play at the 12-2 Baltimore Ravens next week). It would be a boost to the organization given that they missed the postseason in 2018 for the first time in four seasons. Given, however, that the Steelers are on their third-string quarterback, what Tomlin has been able to do this year is nothing short of impressive.

On Sunday against the Jets (5-9), the Steelers will start rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges. He’s not only a rookie, he’s an undrafted rookie free agent. To get his team in playoff contention starting an undrafted rookie free agent is nothing short of tremendous coaching.

The Steelers are 3-1 with Hodges starting. Their first loss came last week to the Buffalo Bills, a game where Hodges threw four interceptions and was intercepted four times.

“Yeah, it's a great job. It's not an easy thing to do. They've found a way to be able to kind of handle that bump in the road and find a way to win,” Gase told the media at the team’s facility on Thursday.

“Every game they've been in, pretty much, has been one score games, whether they win or lose and they're keeping it close they're scoring on defense, not turning the ball over on offense, which they did the last game, obviously. It was a little different, but for the most part, they've just been so consistent.”

Coach Gase speaks to the media before Thursday's practice of Steelers week. https://t.co/gh66S03ai9
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 19, 2019

The Steelers under Tomlin have been consistent and tough to beat.

In his previous 12 seasons with the Steelers, Tomlin has eight playoff appearances. He has won the AFC North six times, taken the AFC twice and once won the Super Bowl. Outside of Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots, no coach in the NFL has more success or consistency with his team during that stretch.

“That's something that I've always respected about Coach Tomlin is he is steady, he's the same, good, bad and indifferent,” Gase said.

“His team, always, is competitive all throughout the year as far as, especially in December, you're always hearing about them. Whether or not they have injuries or whatever is happening throughout the season, he's steady.”