Steelers’ Mike Tomlin: We want hotter practices for ‘more stressful environment’

Last updated: 2025/06/13 at 3:29 PM

BigP Published June 13, 2025

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is turning up the heat on his team — literally. Tomlin is moving the Steelers’ training camp practices to the afternoon this summer; he explained the rationale.

“Wasn’t hot enough last year. To be quite honest with you, heat aids in the development of physical conditioning. It makes it a more stressful environment, and that’s what we go to camp for,” Tomlin said on Thursday after the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp, according to NFL.com. “We go to camp to get better, and if it’s a little bit more miserable late in the day, man, that’s what we want.”

Pittsburgh will hold its 2025 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, which is roughly one hour east of Acrisure Stadium, home of the Steelers.

As for stories to keep tabs on with the Steelers this summer, they recently added 41-year-old quarterback and four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, who will be throwing passes to star wide receiver and two-time Pro Bowler DK Metcalf, whom Pittsburgh acquired from the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.

Superstar linebacker T.J. Watt hasn’t been present for the team’s minicamp this week, as he seeks an extension; Watt, a four-time All-Pro, is entering the final year of a four-year, $112 million deal. Tomlin expressed that he’s “optimistic” a deal will eventually be worked out with Watt.

The Steelers are coming off a 10-7 season that saw them lose to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC wild-card round. Tomlin is entering his 19th season as Pittsburgh’s head coach, with the team never posting a losing season and owning a combined 183-107-2 regular-season record and 8-11 postseason record under him. All that said, the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season.

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