"The man is a special coach" - Stephen A. Smith heaps praise on Mike Tomlin following Aaron Rodgers' official move to Steelers

Mike Tomlin has been serving as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2007 and led the franchise to victory in Super Bowl XLIII. However, when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger retired in January 2022, the team suffered problems in the quarterback department.

Last season, Mike Tomlin had Russell Wilson and Justin Fields on the QB depth chart. However, they parted ways after just one season. The Steelers have been pursuing Aaron Rodgers this offseason. And after weeks of stalemate, the 4x NFL MVP finally agreed to play in Steel City in 2025.

On Saturday's episode of 'First Take', Stephen A. Smith came forward to heap praise on Mike Tomlin. He highlighted the coach's success with the Steelers and also complimented him for never letting the franchise fall from grace.

"When we look at Mike Tomlin, we say he's great. All of us feel he's great. We know how motivational and inspirational he is," Smith said. "I personally love the man. I've know him for years. We know what this man has done."

"In 18 years, he's never had a losing season. You just sit up there and marvel at some of the things, because there were years we thought that the Steelers would nosedive- and he never let it happen. The man is a special man, and the man is a special coach." (Timestamp- 1:05 )

In 18 seasons, Tomlin has led the Steelers to 12 playoff appearances and two Super Bowl showdowns. Their last Super Bowl appearance was in 2010 when they lost to the Packers in Super Bowl XLV.

During the 2024 season, the Steelers finished second in the AFC North. They qualified for the playoffs, but unfortunately lost to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round.

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Chad Johnson believes Aaron Rodgers could get Mike Tomlin fired if he underperforms in 2025

Before Rodgers decided to join the Steelers, Tomlin acquired ex-Ohio State star Will Howard in this year's NFL draft. However, instead of focusing on developing a young quarterback, Tomlin is placing his faith in the 41-year-old Rodgers.

Chad Johnson believes that this could be a hit-or-miss move for the Steelers' coach. On the 'Nightcap' show, he stated that if Aaron Rodgers fails to have a successful campaign in 2025, then Tomlin could find himself on the hot seat and potentially be fired by the franchise.

"If he doesn't play well, you know, players get coaches fired now," Johnson said. "And Tomlin could be on the hot seat for making mistakes. Obviously, he had them wait. He had the whole organization waiting." (Timestamp- 4:40)

Before joining the Steelers, Aaron Rodgers had a disappointing two-season stint with the Jets. His debut campaign in 2023 was cut short after he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1 against the Bills.

Rodgers returned last year, but did not live up to the expectations the franchise had for him. The quarterback could only muster a 5-12 record before the Jets decided to part ways with him in February.