American Football: Domination

Were the media really harassing Lance out of dislike?

The answer is no.

In truth, the media are simply chasing headlines, hype, and buzz. So, as a journalism major, Lance was merely offering them a kind, friendly reminder.

Compared to Lance, an outsider, the real focus was on those inside the Steelers' camp.

Like Tomlin.

From Bell to Brown, and now to a grim-faced, tight-lipped Roethlisberger who stormed off after the game, was Lance subtly suggesting that the root of Pittsburgh's locker room dysfunction stemmed from Tomlin's authoritarian coaching style?

Before Bell chose to hold out, wasn't it the Steelers' management that gave him the franchise tag for a second year straight despite being the league's top running back? Whose decision was that—team executives or the head coach?

Think about it—really think.

A single comment from Lance suddenly seemed full of hidden meaning—

Thus: using others to do the dirty work.

Without saying much, Lance deftly shifted the blame toward Tomlin, using the media's fondness for extrapolation to redirect the fire away from himself.

Right—why hassle Lance when you can grill Tomlin? Let's go to the source.

It wasn't just about Tomlin and Bell. The conflict likely extended to within the Steelers' management. Who exactly made these decisions? And if someone had to take the fall for the loss, whom should the fans blame?

In an instant, the spotlight shifted.

Just like during the offseason, Lance once again pulled off a masterful focus shift, escaping unscathed.

Tomlin: ???

What happened next was even more entertaining than Lance anticipated.

By Wednesday's media day and ahead of Week 2's games, reporters launched a full-on offensive against Tomlin:

Starting with Bell, then locker room tensions, then questioning whether Tomlin had failed as head coach—each question sharper than the last.

Under a barrage of bullets, Tomlin held his composure—for a while.

Then, in an uncharacteristic break, he snapped.

Without a word, with no warning, no change of expression—he simply turned around and left the press room.

No blow-up. No yelling. Just a quiet, sudden exit that left the entire press corps stunned.

And afterward? He declined to issue any statement.

That kind of iron response surprised many. But more surprising was that the Steelers organization didn't intervene. Instead, they stood firmly behind Tomlin.

That solidified the suspicion:

Bell was frozen out, Brown was cold-shouldered during the game—Tomlin was the one calling the shots.

And he had full backing from the higher-ups.

All arrows now pointed squarely at Tomlin.

This did not sit well with the NFL.

One Marshawn Lynch was already enough—a media-averse star with a "stone-in-a-toilet" attitude. Now Tomlin, black and just as hard-nosed, joined the club.

The league needed to make an example.

Tomlin was fined and issued a formal warning.

Tomlin's response? He paid the fine, issued a public apology—and then shut down the Steelers' training facility to all interviews.

The Steelers released an official statement: they needed to focus fully on preparing for the season, would not accept interviews or public spectators for now, and asked for support.

In short: the Steelers and Tomlin were united.

To many coaches, Tomlin was now the envy of the league. Full support from the organization, like Saban at Alabama, allowed him to enforce his iron will and keep the team in line.

But others didn't see it that way.

Suddenly, the Steelers became the NFL's supervillain. Coach and team joined forces to silence players, enforce strict control in the locker room, and shut down all dissenting voices. These were bad signs.

Reporters, fans, and even rival players began to pile on.

The narrative had flipped completely.

Antonio Brown was left bewildered—

Wait, wasn't this supposed to be about me getting benched and ignored? How did the spotlight shift to Tomlin so fast?

Brown had feared becoming the fans' and media's scapegoat—but instead, he was completely ignored. Just like the opening game—present, but invisible. It was like screaming at a party and having no one even glance at you.

He didn't know whether to feel relieved or insulted.

Total chaos!

From start to finish, Tomlin never offered an explanation. Speculations abounded, but maybe the most accurate guess was this:

He'd simply had enough.

Meanwhile, the man who had subtly triggered all this had perfectly faded from view.

At the press conference, this "demon" hid his horns and fangs behind a calm smile, looking as innocent as an angel who had just descended from heaven.

Amazingly, no reporter realized Lance's true face. He'd talked them all in circles—and they were still buying what he was selling.

"It's a new season, a new beginning. The league's attention and expectations are completely different. The pressure on the field has changed. But in the first game, you were spectacular—one rushing TD, one receiving TD, one passing TD, over 100 rushing and receiving yards.

"You're clearly still one of the most dangerous running backs in the league. Are you satisfied with your performance? What did you do in the offseason to improve?"

A textbook question. The press was ready to heap praise on Lance.

But Lance had no interest in praise—he was still playing chess.

"Oh? Is this an attempt to gather insider info? Which outlet are you with?"

Laughter erupted.

"In my opinion, today's performance isn't about me. My teammates deserve the spotlight. They were the real heroes."

"Fowler, Jones, Ragland, and of course, Maho—cough, cough…"

Lance accidentally choked on the name "Mahomes," only saying the first two syllables. Unknowingly, this slip would later become Mahomes' Chinese nickname.

Neither Lance nor Mahomes saw that coming.

Quick to adapt, Lance played it off:

"See? His performance was so sizzling hot it burned my tongue just trying to say his name."

Cold joke. Very cold.

Reporters stared at him in disbelief.

Lance simply shrugged.

"I mean, Mahomes played an outstanding game. Under pressure, he showed poise. Personally, I believe he deserves AFC Offensive Player of the Week. His performance showed maturity and intelligence. He has what it takes to be an elite quarterback—and honestly, I can't wait to see what he does next."

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Powerstones?

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