Two college teammates who used to share the same sideline will stand on opposing sidelines Sunday evening when the Buffalo Bills visit the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott and Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin both played for William & Mary and were teammates during the 1993 and 1994 seasons. They squared off several times, as Tomlin played wide receiver while McDermott was a defensive back for the Tribe.
Their paths will cross for the first time as head coaches Sunday night.
Both coaches have created levels of success for their organizations. Tomlin led the Steelers to two Super Bowl victories.
McDermott, for his part, has not had the success of Tomlin thus far. However, the third-year coach guided the Bills to their first playoff berth in 17 seasons and has been an integral part of reinvigorating a franchise that was mired in futility.
Both, while different in personality, have become more successful due to their involvement with each other.
“Mike was one of the people that I watched and learned a lot from,” McDermott said this week.
Tomlin complimented McDermott as well.
“Sean is a quality guy, always been laser-focused and hard-working. He really hasn’t changed much — I probably have changed more than he has because I was a little bit immature back in the day,” Tomlin said.
It makes sense that both would be strong leaders as coaches. Both McDermott and Tomlin were captains during their tenure at William & Mary.
The former teammates face off this weekend in the midst of the playoff push. The Bills travel to Heinz Field for a primetime kickoff against the Steelers. The game has major playoff implications, as both teams hold a Wild Card spot in the AFC standings.
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