Mike Tomlin’s YouTube video detailing his labor of love of more than a decade is well on its way to a million views in less than 24 hours. His tweet about it has accumulated more than 20 million views.
No, it’s not a deep dive into Tomlin’s 19 years as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a reign that produced a Super Bowl title, zero losing seasons and a 193-114-2 overall record.
It’s about his obsession with “Minecraft,” the immensely popular video sandbox game that takes place in a world of 3D cubes representing raw materials such as wood, ores, stone and dirt. Players craft elaborate structures and — certainly in Tomlin’s case — full-blown cities.
At least one of Tomlin’s former players is astonished that he was able to construct a sprawling “Minecraft” community in the limited spare time enjoyed by an NFL head coach.
“we were tryna to win super bowls and coach T was on minecraft building cities,” former Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell wrote on X, adding a crying emoji.
Countless adults were introduced to the game by taking their kids to “A Minecraft Movie,” the 2025 film starring Jack Black, Jason Mamoa, Sebastian Hansen and Emma Myers that brought in a worldwide box office total of nearly $1 billion.
Tomlin got an earlier start, watching his middle school-age sons spending weekends playing the game in 2014, the same year the Steelers went 11-5 to begin a four-year streak of double-figure wins. His sons, Dino and Mayce, eventually outgrew the game, but Tomlin’s interest increased.
“At different times over the course of a 12-month calendar, I would have different levels of fixation on this, but it’s been a project that’s been ongoing for 12-plus years,” he said on the 19-minute video titled “Rooftops, Penthouses, and Urban Living.”
Tomlin said he preferred playing in creative mode, as opposed to survival, hardcore or adventure modes. He also said getting his mind off of football was good for his mental health.
“I kind of remember when I was building communities, neighborhoods, buildings, etc.,” he said. “But more than anything, it was therapeutic for me, some mindless entertainment. I’m not a big TV watcher. [“Minecraft”] allowed me to detach from the realities and pressures of life.”
The realities and pressures of coaching in the NFL include a 24/7 work mentality. Watching film and diagramming plays deep into the night. Sleeping on a cot in the team facility.
The attention to detail he brought to his day job was evident in his “Minecraft” creations.
“I was always really conscious of appropriate amenities,” Tomlin said. “You’ll find, you know, an appropriate number of public restrooms and stuff throughout all my public facilities. Not anything over the top in terms of detail: sink areas, stalls, etc. It was important that I represented that.”
Tomlin’s younger son, Mayce, a 24-year-old Columbia graduate, is having a kick on social media posting reactions to his father’s “Minecraft” reveal.
“Bro I used to come home sometimes and my PlayStation would just be gone. And I wasn’t in trouble
” Mayce wrote on X.
Tomlin retired from coaching after the 2025 season and now works as an NFL studio analyst for NBC Sports on the pregame show “Football Night in America.” Presumably he has more time to devote to “Minecraft.”
“I like to build, I’ve always had an interest in architecture and so forth,” he said. “So I started doing this creative city. It was a means of spending time with [my children]. They participated. All over this city, all my kids have got buildings.
“Over the course of time, they got disinterested in the game. They were going to high school and off to college, and their participation became less and less over the years. My participation probably at times increased.”
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