Heading into Sunday's matchup against the Broncos, Mike Tomlin had coached in 10 postseason games, leading the Steelers to two Super Bowl appearances and one Lombardi Trophy. But the Steelers coach, who replaced Bill Cowher after the 2006 season, was never more emotional than he was in the moments following the 23-16 divisional round loss to the Broncos.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the coach addressed the team in the locker room afterward with tears running down his face, the first time anyone can ever remember that happening.
“I’m glad I have a coach like that," defensive end Cam Heyward. "It hurts even worse, because he’s right in the battle with us.”
Wide receiver Martavis Bryant added: “There was a lot of emotion. I never saw him cry like that. I cried, too. It’s just a hurt feeling. It’s just really hard right now. Because of the adversity we faced. It’s a hurtful feeling.”
It's also an impressive run for the Steelers, who faced the Broncos and their top-ranked defense without the league's best wide receiver in Antonio Brown, one of the league's most dynamic running backs in Le'Veon Bell, one of the league's best left tackles (according to ProFootballFocus' metrics) in Kelvin Beachum, four-time Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, and a franchise quarterback who had to take painkillers before the game.
Still, Pittsburgh was in great position to win until a fourth-quarter fumble by third-team running back Fitzgerald Toussaint.
“I have to protect the ball,” Toussaint said from his locker, where he remained in full uniform well after the game had ended. “No excuses for that. In that situation, I put it on myself.”
But Toussaint's teammates had his back, including Ben Roethlisberger.
“I told him … we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him,” the quarterback said. “This is not all on him by any means. It’s on all of us.”
Toussaint also scored the Steelers' only touchdown on Sunday, and he and Jordan Todman played well in place of DeAngelo Williams in last Saturday's win over the Bengals. But none of that matters now, and the Steelers join 27 other teams whose 2015 seasons are officially over.
