Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin stormed out of Monday’s post-game news conference Monday when a reporter began to ask about his soon-to-expire contract. Tomlin’s team had just lost to the Buffalo Bills, marking another early exit from the NFL playoffs.
The episode elicited plenty of commentary from pundits, including Sports Illustrated’s Michael Rosenberg, who urged readers to consider Tomlin’s skin color before criticizing his actions.
“Tomlin is the most successful black coach in the history of a sport with a deplorable record of hiring black coaches. That comes with a burden and a responsibility that he did not request and cannot escape,” Rosenberg wrote. “Successful white coaches get to assume any criticism is just about their coaching. That is a perk of their privilege. Tomlin does not have that option.”
Rosenberg added: “If the most…
