Mike Tomlin's NSFW Warning to Sean McVay About NFL Coaching Reality

When Sean McVay took over as the youngest head coach in modern NFL history, he received a memorable piece of advice from veteran coach Mike Tomlin.

Tomlin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, called McVay shortly after he accepted the Los Angeles Rams' head coaching position nearly a decade ago. "I'll never forget when Mike Tomlin first called me after I got this job," McVay recounted. "He said, 'Hey, congratulations,' all that stuff."

Tomlin then posed a question that caught McVay off guard: "He says, 'How's that tube?'"

Confused, McVay asked for clarification. Tomlin's response was blunt: "He said, 'That tube of s--t that never stops coming down over your head when you're a head coach.'"

McVay, now midway through his 10th season as a head coach, has found Tomlin's prediction to be remarkably accurate. The Rams recently experienced a difficult 37-34 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills, marred by special teams errors and followed by the suspension of starting left tackle Alaric Jackson for an altercation with Bills linebacker Bradley Chubb. The team has also faced challenges with injuries and a rotating door at the kicker position.

Despite the pressures, McVay acknowledged the demanding nature of the job. "Oh, it does. I mean, but that's part of the deal," McVay said when asked about the toll the constant challenges take. "It's why you've got a staff, and it's one of those deals that you're always ready for inevitable things to come up."

McVay, who has previously led the Rams to two Super Bowls and won one, recognizes that managing the inevitable chaos is a key aspect of coaching at the highest level. His current focus, beyond preparing for an upcoming game against a division rival, is on maintaining team cohesion and addressing the recurring mistakes that have impacted recent outcomes.