Mike Tomlin spoke in front of the Steelers players and staffed as they locked in arms Friday at Heinz Field about the organization's support for the protests across the country and in professional sports in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis.
Saturday, Cam Heyward and Vince Williams addressed media via Zoom to further address the stances of players on the team and how they plan to move forward. Williams started the session by pointing out the players' wishes to make a statement, and their desire for Tomlin to be the man that spoke it.
"We didn't feel like it was appropriate to be brash about what we want to say," Williams said. "So we took that day to continue to go to work and press forward. We came together as players and we came with a statement, made a stance, and we thought there was nobody better than Mike Tomlin to deliver that because of who he is in the NFL and who he is as a person. We decided to come together, lock arms and show compassion. Even though we're in the NFL and professional athletes, we're still very sensitive to everything going on, and we feel that."
Heyward expressed his connection between Tomlin and both their families and how that connection has allowed the two to share their thoughts on heavier discussions. Those connections Tomlin has made are a big reason why the players felt his words were most appropriate to represent them on Friday.
"We both have had conversations with Coach Tomlin," Heyward said. "We all have children and what we're looking at right now is not going to get it done for our children in the future. We've had Mason and Dino (Tomlin's sons) come over many times and them know that they're growing up in a world that's not acceptable."
"My children and Vince's children are going to have to see this play out," Heyward continued. "The fact that it's played out repetitively and it's become a theme that's so natural is unacceptable. Coach Tomlin speaks from the heart, sometimes he doesn't want to just speak for the group but we felt like this was an opportunity to speak for the group because we all felt like we were in the same situation as him."
But both Heyward and Williams wanted to make it clear that Tomlin's statement was far from being the only response from the players, coaches and organization in this moment.
"We do a lot in the community," Heyward said. "But when we see these instances we can't be hypocrites. I can't look my child in the eyes and say, 'I'm fighting for your future and I want you to succeed when I see this stuff happen.' "
Both made it clear that those actions weren't hollow words, as both Heyward and Williams have been involved in efforts to help in the community, as well as other teammates.
"Personally, I've been involved in the police forums," Heyward said of his own efforts. "There are policies that are overdo for change in our community. Whether it's Act 111 and how it needs to be reformed or banning chokeholds, demilitarizing the police, making it a charge for false reporting based on race or having an independent citizen law enforcement review board. Those are things we can do. Whether it's lobbying or speaking with different community leaders to help fight for that change."
Beyond advocacy for legislative change, Heyward also addressed how his teammates also work on establishing better connections between Pittsburgh police departments and communities in the area.
"Maurkice Pouncey has done so much and he speaks a lot for us in giving back to our community and creating that relationship," Heyward said. "We understand we get to meet the good cops, but there are cops not being held accountable, simple as that. We talk about how police forces aren't diverse enough, but to do that, we have to be in these communities.”
Heyward continued about how being involved with a community ultimately is about impacting the youth.
"We have to be in the schools so those young children see that Black people can be cops," Heyward continued. "Then the Black people who are cops can have relationships and they're able to understand the youth. This isn't something that's going to be done in a day, it's something we have to stay on top of it, even during the season."
Williams followed up Heyward's testimony about those efforts as he recalled meeting with Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert.
"This actually started when we met three years ago with Police Chief Schubert," Williams said. "We wanted to change the perception of police in the community because we understand the police relations with the community in Pittsburgh. We're not just going to be an organization that makes statements, we're encouraged to go into our communities, take things on as a personal approach and we get to the opportunity to do that."
So expect more of the actions Heyward and Williams described in the future to come from the Steelers. Fourth-year cornerback Cam Sutton mentioned how the team has been working in different committees, like helping to get out the vote.
"We are fighting the good fight," Sutton said. "We have a social justice reform group that we have and that I'm part of. A lot of guys are part of that group. We just had a seminar yesterday bout voting, the history of voting and getting guys registered for voting. We are doing a couple different things of getting everybody on the same page and doing our part."
Both Heyward and Williams acknowledged that doing their part included not being afraid to say what they need to from their platform as professional athletes. And that the Steelers' organization has always supported their efforts in doing so.
"We've never been hindered in any way," Williams said of players' efforts to speak on social issues. "Nobody has ever told us what we couldn't do. That's jut not how we get down. I'm sure we will continue to come together as a team and talk about it because that's more aligned with how we do business here."
Williams continued about how that's not just about speaking on social media, but also about life and sharing thoughts and feelings with anyone that's part of the organization.
"We've always talked about everything," Williams continued. "I think, personally I can speak from just being here, Mr. Rooney has developed and instilled a culture where we can talk about anything and everything with anybody in our building from top to bottom. It doesn't matter their race, creed, religion, anything, anybody that puts their hand in the pile and is a Steeler, we have an open dialogue with them and we treat them like they're part of the family."
But both Heyward and Williams commented on how they were both speaking as mere representatives of the team even though many have thoughts about different issues. Their representation helps those who might not feel comfortable with how they might voice their concerns.
"We're up here today not just speaking for ourselves," Heyward explained. "We're an outlet for our team. There are guys that want things to be said but don't know how to always voice them. We all have a voice and we all want to do things near and dear to our hearts. We have a lot of different heads who might've seen different things in the past, whether it's Alejandro Villanueva or a Ben Roethlisberger or a Maurkice Pouncey."
Not lost upon either Williams or Heyward was the importance of the moment as athletes from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and WNBA have made statements, participated in protests and taken action in efforts to fight for civil rights.
"I'm encouraged by it," Williams said. "A lot of times people say that sports should stay out of politics and politics should stay out of sports, but if you look at history that's never been the case. Me being able to talk to people about that is going to help everybody. It's going to help me and others grow. If they're going to listen to me as a football player, I'm going to give than accurate description of what I see going on."
Heyward followed up about with his feelings on seeing athletes across all major sports speaking out.
"The one thing I'm very happy about is to see all these different people speak," Heyward said. "To see all these resources we have that are different from the 1960s where we get to speak our minds and reach a lot more people. We have to continue to do that. Moving forward, I hope there's real change that comes from that."
