Cameron Heyward stared at the four-letter message projected on the screen, wondering what it all meant. As Mike Tomlin — the master of acronyms, and the most powerful force in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ universe — spoke passionately to his players about an upcoming opponent in a darkened meeting room late last month, the light began to go on in Heyward’s head.

He’s talking about ME.

The subject was Dexter Lawrence, the New York Giants’ two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle. The subtext was Heyward, a 14th-year interior lineman and three-time All-Pro, who was about to set a franchise record for a defender by playing in his 202nd regular season game.

The acronym on the screen was “WGFO.”

“I was like, ‘What the hell is he talking about?’” Heyward recalled Monday. “And it was, ‘We Gonna Find Out.’”

Specifically, Tomlin was challenging Heyward to prove he could still play at as high a level as Lawrence, who was nine years his junior. And the 18th-year coach was doing it in his own inimitable way, mixing humor with cold, hard truths about the sport he loves.

“He finds ways to motivate every guy on this team,” Heyward says of Tomlin. “It’s about having a relationship with every man that walks into that locker room. Every day in practice he’s interacting with guys, and after practice he’s walking around the locker room doing it, too. He has relationships with everyone, and there’s less room for chaos because of that.”

Though Tomlin, the NFL’s longest-tenured head coach, is one of the most successful men in his profession, he also tends to be one of the least appreciated. Since taking over as Pittsburgh’s head coach in 2007, he has never had a losing season. Think about that — in a league designed to accentuate parity, the man hasn’t had a single bad year, with nearly two decades of sample size.

That’s crazier than a beloved establishment showcasing sandwiches with French fries and coleslaw.

Yet some Steelers fans, frustrated by Tomlin’s recent lack of playoff triumphs, continually complain about his perceived shortcomings.

Such gripes are typically met with eye-rolls in NFL circles, yet there’s a case to be made that Tomlin chronically gets less praise than he deserves. The 52-year-old has won a Super Bowl, two AFC championships and 188 combined regular season and postseason games, yet he has never been honored as the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year.

That could change come February. Though there have been some stellar coaching jobs this season — by Matt LaFleur, Kevin O’Connell, Dan Campbell, Raheem Morris, Dan Quinn and others — Tomlin’s masterful touch in guiding the Steelers to a 7-2 record has been unparalleled.

To put it in terms he’d appreciate: Midway through the 2024 campaign, he’s my COTYSF (Coach of the Year So Far).

Mike Tomlin’s 173 wins rank 12th all-time in NFL history, the most of any coach to not win a Coach of the Year title since the award’s inception. (Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Tomlin has managed a potential quarterback controversy, overseen the installation of a new offense and helped reenergize a defense with five new starters (if you include nickel back Beanie Bishop Jr., an undrafted rookie). The Steelers may boast the NFL’s most effective special teams units, and their only two defeats (consecutive losses to the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys) were by three-point margins.

They’ve prevailed in four other one-score games, including last Sunday’s stirring, 28-27 road victory over the 7-3 Washington Commanders.

Suddenly Pittsburgh, which has been one-and-done in its last four postseason appearances, appears formidable enough to compete with the AFC’s best teams.

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The Steelers will learn more about themselves Sunday when they host the 7-3 Baltimore Ravens, who trail them by half a game in the AFC North. Still, for the first time since Ben Roethlisberger retired in January 2022, they appear capable of winning big games without relying on their defense and special teams to carry them.

The biggest reason for the Steelers’ success? Well, there are two big ones. Tomlin’s got cojones. Unlike so many of his coaching contemporaries, he’s not afraid to go with his instincts, shoot his shot and live with the consequences if he misses.

He’s a risk-taker, and his players vibe on that.

Sunday’s victory over the Commanders was like a sizzle reel for Tomlin’s COTYSF candidacy. The Steelers led 7-0 when, with 5:16 left in the first quarter, they tried a fake punt on fourth-and-15 from their own 16. The play caught the Commanders by surprise but failed when one defensive back (upback Miles Killebrew) was unable to complete a pass to another (James Pierre, who couldn’t handle the throw).

Three plays later, Austin Ekeler’s 1-yard touchdown run tied the game. Tomlin didn’t trip, saying afterward, “That is me. I own that, but I’d do it again.”

The Steelers fought back from a 24-14 deficit and won on a late touchdown when Russell Wilson, on third-and-9 from the Washington 32, completed a high-arc deep ball to Mike Williams, who’d been acquired in a trade five days earlier and had never practiced the route.

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On paper, it was somewhat preposterous. In real life, it was glorious. And it would never have happened without Tomlin’s conviction.

Beginning last spring, Tomlin’s faith in Wilson has been perplexing to many people inside and outside of the organization, in light of the way the former Seattle Seahawks star had seemingly regressed in recent years.

Wilson, 35, struggled mightily after being traded to the Denver Broncos after the 2021 season. He seemed to have lost a step — at least a step — and to possess far less field awareness than in previous seasons.

Last December, Broncos coach Sean Payton benched Wilson — with his team still technically in playoff contention — to avoid the financial ramifications of a possible injury. Given Payton’s reputation as an offensive guru, it was perceived by many of his peers as an irrevocable indictment of Wilson’s abilities.

Tomlin saw it differently. When Wilson, released by the Broncos, became a free agent in March, the Steelers quickly signed him as the successor to Kenny Pickett, a failed 2022 first-round draft pick.

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Days later, they swung a trade with the Chicago Bears to acquire Justin Fields, the 11th pick in the 2021 draft. From that moment, skepticism swirled. Many NFL coaches and talent evaluators speculated that Wilson wouldn’t win the starting job, even as Tomlin insisted he’d go into training camp No. 1 on the depth chart.

When a calf injury essentially derailed Wilson’s preseason — and lingered into October — Fields seized his opening. His speed and mobility helped new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith conceive an attack that created favorable matchups for Pittsburgh’s running game. By the time Wilson was fully healthy, the Steelers were 4-2 and coming off a 32-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Virtually no one thought Tomlin should make a change. Roethlisberger, on his “Footbahlin” podcast, said after that victory, “All in all, I would absolutely not even think about taking (Fields) out of the game right now.” That was the prevailing sentiment inside the Steelers’ organization, too.

Tomlin decided otherwise, intent in his belief that Wilson — who won one Super Bowl and came within a yard of winning a second — still possessed the elite qualities that could potentially help the Steelers elevate in the postseason. “I’m not trying to win games,” Tomlin told Fox’s Jay Glazer. “I’m trying to win a world title here. I gotta see what I’ve got in both.”

Mike Tomlin went out on a limb to insert Russell Wilson into the starting lineup. The decision has paid dividends so far. (Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)

Because of that, Tomlin told Glazer, he “went Lone Ranger” and made the move.

One big difference: The Lone Ranger wore a mask. Tomlin laid bare his intentions and mindset to all parties concerned.

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Inside the locker room, there was no grumbling or second-guessing. Tomlin, who has habitually gotten the most out of strong (and sometimes prickly) personalities — former stars Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell and current receiver George Pickens are some obvious examples — sold the move in a manner that some of his mealy-mouthed peers would be wise to emulate.

“All three guys — Justin, Russ and Mike — handled it with complete class,” Heyward said. “(Tomlin) said, ‘We’re gonna see what happens, but we will not be forgetting what Justin did, nor will we think Justin’s just gonna be someone who gets lost in the shuffle. It’s a long season and we will see what happens.’”

Here’s what has happened so far: The Steelers are 3-0 with Wilson at quarterback. He has thrown six touchdown passes and one interception, and Pittsburgh has averaged 30.7 points per game in those starts. The Lone Ranger is riding high.

Then again, the schedule gets tougher now, with two games against the Ravens and clashes with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs among the tests awaiting Tomlin’s team.

Can the Steelers meet the challenge — and win a playoff game (or more than one) for the first time in eight seasons?

As Tomlin would say, WGFO.

(Top photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)

Wrestler Gable Steveson is ready to get back in the game. The Olympic gold medalist will return to competition at the University of Minnesota as he puts his retirement on pause.

Steveson plans to exercise his fifth and final season of college wrestling eligibility. The COVID-19 pandemic granted NCAA athletics an additional year of eligibility.

Steveson won his second national title at Minnesota in 2022 before announcing his retirement. The 24-year-old will look to extend his 52-match win streak when he resumes competitive wrestling in the collegiate ranks. 

“Minnesota has given me everything, and now it’s my turn to give it right back to them: to put my feet back on the wrestling mat, to be the champ, one more time,” Steveson said in a video posted to social media.

Minnesota said he is expected to make his season debut on Nov. 24. “Gable has the burning desire to compete for the Maroon and Gold one last time,” Minnesota wrestling head coach Brandon Eggum said.

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“We are thankful he has chosen the opportunity to add to his historic legacy with our program. He is one of the best to ever compete in the sport of wrestling, and we are grateful for the impact has had at our program.”

Gold medalist USA’s Gable Dan Steveson celebrates the golden medal after the men’s freestyle 125kg wrestling competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Makuhari Messe in Tokyo on August 6, 2021. (Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Steveson had a stint with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). During his time with the professional wrestling promotion, Steveson competed at the NXT level — the organization’s developmental brand.

Mar 19, 2022; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota wrestler Gable Steveson raises his arm as he leaves the mat after defeating Arizona State wrestler Cohlton Schultz (not pictured) in the 285 pound weight class final match during the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Little Cesars Arena.  (Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports)

The Buffalo Bills signed Steveson in May, despite his lack of experience with football. He was projected to be a defensive lineman. However, Steveson’s first attempt at organized football ended in August when he was released by the Bills.

He has continued to train with Eggum, and considered making a run at qualifying for the Paris Olympics before ultimately deciding against it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The New York Jets’ playoff hopes likely died in the Sonoran Desert. Owner Woody Johnson’s big swings — firing head coach Robert Saleh, replacing him with Jeff Ulbrich, trading for wide receiver Davante Adams — didn’t work.

Johnson envisioned this season ending in the land of milk and honey. Instead, the Jets are 3-7 after their latest embarrassing loss. Johnson might not even be around for the aftermath.

In the lead up to the Presidential election, there was an expectation around the Jets’ facility that, if Donald Trump won, Johnson would leave to join his administration, as he did in 2016 when Johnson was appointed the ambassador to the United Kingdom. During the 2024 campaign, Johnson made a handful of appearances on Fox News stumping for Trump, his friend, and hosted Trump in his box at the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night road game a couple weeks ago, which took place a day after a Trump rally in Latrobe, Pa. If Johnson is heading back to work for the White House, that news will likely drop in the coming weeks. Last time, Trump picked Johnson on Jan. 19, 2017, and Johnson was confirmed in June. He wouldn’t have to go through the confirmation process again if he’s appointed to the same position — ambassador to the U.K. — though Johnson would have to be confirmed if he was appointed to a different position.

Last time, Johnson’s brother, vice chairman Christopher Johnson, ran the franchise for three and a half years until Woody Johnson returned in 2021. Christopher Johnson wasn’t around the team much in 2022 or ’23, but was back into the fold in ’24, possibly in preparation to take over if his brother leaves again. And if Woody Johnson does leave, it would carry plenty of implications for the Jets’ immediate future, and beyond.

There’s a good chance the Jets will be looking for a new head coach and general manager this winter. Ulbrich, previously the team’s defensive coordinator, hasn’t shown enough to earn the full time job since replacing Saleh in the interim, especially since the defense has taken a step back. The Jets rank last in the NFL in defensive EPA since Ulbrich became interim head coach, as well as 25th in rushing defense, 26th in red-zone defense and 25th in scoring defense. In the Week 10 loss to the Cardinals, they missed 20 tackles, per NextGen. As for general manager Joe Douglas, he’s felt like a dead man walking since Johnson started to enact his will without involving Douglas, who was not consulted before the decision to fire Saleh. Johnson also pushed for the Adams trade and to get Haason Reddick in the building with a restructured contract after a prolonged holdout.

“Woody and I talk every day,” Douglas said recently, sounding defeated. “I serve at the pleasure of the owner.”

Douglas is in the last year of a six-year contract and his best season record-wise — 7-9 in 2019 — came with a roster that he didn’t even build, hired in June that year after free agency and the NFL Draft. He’s never made the playoffs and has a worse career winning percentage as Jets GM than predecessors John Idzik and Mike Maccagnan.

Everyone in the league watched from afar as Johnson fired Saleh in Week 5 and took power away from Douglas. Then, they saw the results on the field. There will be interest if the jobs come open — there are only 32 NFL head coach and general manager positions, after all — but this isn’t exactly looking like an appealing organization for any prospective coach or GM. Candidates with options might think twice.

So that raises the question: How involved Woody Johnson will be when it comes to the next steps, which could also impact the Jets’ ability to lure quality candidates. He will most likely be involved in both searches (if Ulbrich and Douglas are gone), along with Christopher, before he joins Trump’s administration (if he does leave).

There’s also the question of how this impacts the future of Rodgers, who was supposed to be the franchise’s savior but instead looks like a shell of his former self. In the Cardinals loss he had 151 passing yards on 35 pass attempts, the second-fewest yards he’s ever had on 30 or more attempts in a single game.

Some in the organization wonder if, should the season continue down this path and Rodgers keeps playing the way he has, he might opt to retire. He’s turning 41 in December. There’s also the question of what coach would want to join a Rodgers-led team as his skills decline, considering all that comes with coaching Rodgers, from the off-the-field circus to the on-the-field control he demands.

Rodgers currently only carries a $23.5 million cap hit next year, but if he was cut or retired the Jets would incur a $49 million dead-cap charge. If the Jets declared him a post-June 1 cut (or retirement), they could split the $49 million hit over two seasons, with $14 million of it coming in 2025 and $35 million in 2026.

There is still an avenue to Rodgers returning in 2025, though, and it actually starts with the Woody and Christopher Johnson dynamic. Rodgers has a close relationship with Christoper Johnson. When the Jets contingent (the Johnsons, Saleh, Douglas, Nathaniel Hackett and team president Hymie Elhai) visited Rodgers at his Malibu home last year to try and convince him to join their team, Christopher Johnson actually arrived first and spent time with the quarterback before the others arrived. Rodgers has a closer relationship with Christopher than with Woody, according to team sources, and some think Christopher Johnson’s presence might help convince Rodgers to stick around.

If Woody Johnson is making the calls, though, it wouldn’t be shocking if he wanted to move on from Rodgers considering the lack of success the team has had relative to expectations. After firing Saleh, Johnson called this Jets roster the most talented in his 25 years as owner.

Regardless of whether Rodgers returns, though, the roster will likely look a whole lot different in 2025. Some notable players set to become free agents: cornerback D.J. Reed, tight end Tyler Conklin, tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses, defensive end Haason Reddick, linebacker Jamien Sherwood, safety Tony Adams, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and safety Isaiah Oliver. The Jets will also have decisions to make on wide receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard. Star 2022 draft picks Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall are eligible for extensions for the first time.

Christopher Johnson made some questionable decisions in his time running the team, namely hiring Adam Gase in 2019, and waiting until after free agency and the draft to fire Maccagnan later that year. But some around the team feel that Christopher Johnson learned a lot from his first go-around and that he’s more likely to allow whomever the Jets hire as general manager the autonomy to run the team without much interference. That’s less likely to be true if Woody Johnson remains in the building.

(Photo: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)