When you compare the sartorial elegance of the late Tom Landy to slouchy, ethically-bereft Bill Belichick (above), it’s pretty easy to conclude that fashion sense amongst contemporary NFL head coaches has gone down the fucking toilet. Thankfully, the Guardian’s Megan Ann Wilson takes a more constructive, if not totally diplomatic view of the situation, crediting Rex Ryan’s move to Buffalo (“the new red, white and blue color palette of the Bills is much more flattering than the Christmas green of the Jets”), taking a conciliatory stance on Bruce Arians (“personally, I’m no fan of the driving cap but I respect a man who sticks to his signature “), and even finding something nice to say about Andy Reid (“for all I can fault Reid for he’s found what works for him and his frame. I don’t think anyone would recognize him without the curved brim hat, mustache or frame”). But Wilson saves her most lavish praise for Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin (“there is not one head coach in the entire NFL that has better accessories than Mike Tomlin. From his aviators collection, to his beard and pendant necklaces – Tomlin is king of sideline swagger”).
What he’s doing right: Tomlin makes more right choices than wrong ones, one of my favorites is the letterman-style tech jacket he seems to favour with yellow sleeves and minimal Steelers branding on the front. The full beard rather than the chinstrap or goatee is a stronger look while gold suits him much better than silver, except when it comes to the ultimate trophy, of course.
What he’s doing wrong: Much like Sean Payton, polos do nothing for Tomlin as they don’t fit his frame well at all. Thankfully, he wears them sparingly. Unsurprisingly, all his khaki pants or pants need with pleated need to be burnt.
What he should be wearing: Tomlin should stick with his instincts and embrace his flare for accessories. The (almost) all black outfits with touches of Steelers yellow and gold is the most fashionable look of any coaches in the league. I’d love to see him wear a different pair of shades for every game this season – can someone please get him an eyewear deal?