Steelers Now
Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen provided some details on Mike Tomlin’s final meeting with team before resigning after 19 years as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach. The news caught everyone by surprise. There was no indication that Tomlin had plans of resigning.
“It was (shocking), because he didn’t start with that,” Thielen said Wednesday on “Pardon My Take.” “He didn’t preface it in any way. It was just like a normal Mike T meeting like, ‘Hey, it wasn’t good enough. I appreciate your effort.’ All these things. I don’t know exactly what he said, but it was kind of like his normal after-game meeting, whether you win or lose. Just talking about his appreciation for the effort and things like that. And then it was kind of the last thing.
“It was like, ‘And, by the way, I’m gonna step down.’ I think it was most emotional because the way he said it was like he wasn’t good enough, like he didn’t do a good enough job and he felt like he’s letting guys down. And that’s when it gets emotional because it was like, ‘No, no, no, I didn’t do enough. You did your job. I need to do my job better.’”
— “Whether you were a coach or a player, you were kinda like, ‘Man, if I would’ve done a better job, then this probably wouldn’t be happening,’” Thielen said. “It’s tough to see a guy like that — again, a legend — the way he carries himself, the way he leads, I think coaches and players all just had so much respect for him until the very last day.
“It’s not like he just cashed it in the last few weeks, or cashed it in knowing he was maybe gonna step down or take a year off. He was all-in, and you felt that every day.”
Thielen announced his retirement from the NFL earlier this month. Thielen revealed the news in an Instagram post.
“What a ride it has been!” Thielen’s wrote. “13 years what a blessing! Have been blessed with so many great relationships and mentors over the years that I am forever grateful for! Thank you to everyone who has supported me through the years, it has meant everything to my family and I!”
Thielen wanted to finish his last go-round with a contending crew. In six games with the Steelers, he recorded 11 receptions for 117 yards (10.6). His biggest play came in the Steelers’ Week 18 win over the Baltimore Ravens, catching a 28-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers down the seam.
How the final team meeting in Pittsburgh went down pic.twitter.com/AecPCjgrvc
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) January 21, 2026
The Steelers now head into a new era. The changing of the guard will take some time for long snapper Christian Kuntz to get used to.
“I don’t have really any words, I’m not gonna lie. Like, I didn’t even want to come in today,” Kuntz said on his podcast last...
