EDITORIAL REVIEWS

TOMLIN: THE SOUL OF A FOOTBALL COACH

“This fun read offers up just how Mike Tomlin rose to greatness as an NFL coach, beginning with his first job as an assistant at Virginia Military Institute. John Harris has captured his grit, his emotional intelligence, his toughness with accounts from family, co-workers, players, media—the entire scope of the journey, the why and how of Tomlin’s genius. Do yourself a favor and jump on board.”

—Roland Lazenby, New York Times bestselling author of Michael Jordan, The Life

“Mike Tomlin’s hiring sent shock waves throughout the NFL community—I know, because when I broke the story people freaked out—and a lot of skeptics in our world believed he was set up for failure. They got it wrong. Tomlin is a ferociously competitive coach with a great grasp of strategy and a true gift for leadership . . . John Harris breaks it all down while presenting a comprehensive and compelling portrait of one of the best men in the coaching profession.”

—Michael Silver, senior writer for The Athletic and author of The Why is Everything    

“Mike T is a force of nature, of sorts. Anyone who has been in his sphere will attest to his unique, inimitable personality with an incomparable depth of character, wisdom, and fire. I’ve never seen anything like him.

—Ronde Barber, Pro Football Hall of Famer who played five seasons under Tomlin with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

“The qualities that make Mike Tomlin one of the best coaches in football also make him one of the most interesting coaches in football. He knows who he is, what’s important to him, and how to compete on his own terms. In this vivid, remarkably well-researched portrait, John Harris fills in a lot of blanks and traces the long journey that Tomlin took to reach the top of his profession. It makes for a compelling, readable biography, and a window into Tomlin’s remarkable character.”

—Michael MacCambridge, author of America’s Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation and Chuck Noll: His Life’s Work

“Coach Tomlin played an instrumental role in my career. His presence and drive for the game of football and life were infectious. He saw things in me that I didn’t see inside myself. While I’m proud to bear the responsibility of living up to the standard of being a Pittsburgh Steeler, I will always be proud to say I was coached by the great Mike Tomlin.”

—Willie Colon, former Steelers offensive lineman and current sports analyst for FS1’s First Things First

“In his new book, John Harris, a former beat writer for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, offers a different look at Mike Tomlin. . .  The book is full of interesting stories about the men who molded Tomlin, especially in his younger days just starting out and finding his coaching footing.” 

—Alex Kozora, Steelers Depot

“Tomlin, The Soul of a Football Coach is, indeed, soulful. It’s also inspirational, educational, and a book that gives unparalleled, detailed insight into how a young Black coach navigated his way around, over, and through the seemingly impenetrable good ole boy network to become a Super Bowl champion and a model leader of men. Reading about his journey is a soul-enriching experience—sports fan or not.”

—Curtis Bunn, award-winning journalist and Founder of the National Book Club Conference