Mike Tomlin revealed his secret passion for Minecraft, admitting he has been maintaining a city for over a decade as a way to connect with his children while he was coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin shared a passion project he's been working on for over a decade
Mike Tomlin shared a passion project he's been working on for over a decade(Image: The Today Show)
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Mike Tomlin revealed that he has been working on a project for over a decade while he was coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers: Minecraft.
Throughout his tenure as the head coach of the Steelers, Tomlin was known as a firm leader who got the most out of his players, as evidenced by his streak of never having a record under .500 and a Super Bowl title to his name. After 19 seasons, Tomlin resigned as the Steelers' coach, taking a break from the sidelines.
With more free time on his hands, Tomlin explained some of the more intimate aspects of his life, which include his long history with Minecraft. His revelation comes after the 54-year-old shared that he was anxious heading into his first season as a pundit for NBC.
"I'm a big Minecrafter," Tomlin revealed during an interview with the Today Show. He added that he began playing the game to be closer to his children, as his career often took him away from them for extended periods.
"And so how do I connect with them? How do I meet them where they are and spend time with them?" the Steelers' former coach continued. "I started playing Minecraft, man, when my kids were young. I have a Minecraft city. I'm creative, man, that I've been working on for like 12 years."
Though his kids no longer play Minecraft as they used to, Tomlin shared that they have remained interested in what their father has done to the city.
Mike Tomlin was candid about how he felt starting the next chapter of his career
Tomlin was candid about how he felt starting the next chapter of his career(Image: YouTube: @The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and NFL on NBC)
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He added, "My kids, they've taken it from PS3 to PS4 to PS5. Like they're into preserving it because they know I don't have the technical knowledge. You know? But we've been talking recently about sharing it with the world. Like my oldest son is like, 'Dad, you got to share this with the world, man.'
"'People need to see this city that you've been working on for 12 years.' And so we've been talking about it recently. We've been talking about it recently. Like, how am I going to share it with the world? I got a city I've been working on for 12 years that's pretty crazy."
Tomlin's Minecraft admission comes weeks after he told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show how he truly felt about taking the leap from coaching to being in the booth with some of his contemporaries.
"I am. It's been a while since I've been a novice. And like, I got a little anxiety. I'm nervous," he said at the time. "And that feels good. That performance anxiety? I feel good about it. I feel good about it."
Despite his initial apprehension about being in the booth rather than on the field, Tomlin admitted that being away from the stresses of coaching has its pros and cons. "I’ll start first with what I don’t miss. I don’t miss that dorm room in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where I spent a calendar year of my life," he stated.
"But I do miss the men, the brotherhood, the camaraderie, the fighting together. But I’ve gotta admit- I also appreciate the camaraderie I’m developing with this group."
As for his new job with NBC, Cris Collinsworth lauded the 54-year-old, noting, "I didn’t think it was ever going to happen… The guy never had a losing record. There’s just no way.
"He’s a dynamic leader. He is going to be in such demand. And people are going to come at him all the time. And we’re not letting him go. That’s it. He’s a lifer now. That’s it. Just put your NBC hat on. It’s over. That’s it."