New Steelers nose tackle Keeanu Benton recently sai coach Mike Tomlin wants “goons” on the field. Appearing on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio with Evan Cohen, Mike Babchik, and Willie Colon, Tomlin was asked to elaborate.
“Hey, a better person to define goon is sitting there with you,” Tomlin said, referring to Colon. “You know, that guy really shaped my perspective on what appropriate gooning is. And to be bluntly honest, man, this dude played with an edge, he could be characterized as a mean person on the football field, but always in control, always calculated, always smart.
“And I think that’s the gist of what I’m talking about. We have to play with a certain collective demeanor. But we also gotta play and play to win. And that means not beating yourself. And so that means bringing a certain level of intellect to the physicality. And that’s something that Willie mastered. You guys know he’s a sharp guy, he conducts business with you guys every day and does it at a very high level, man. But to be able to do those things and play the game with a certain edge, with a certain demeanor, is things that we cover.”
Whether it’s goon or dirtbag or any other similar term, the bottom line is that football remains a violent game, and it requires players who are willing to exercise physicality -- not recklessly but surgically.
That’s what the Steelers do. It’s who they’ve been for 50 years. And it’s one of the reasons why they’re always in the mix.
