Jeff Capel Talks ‘Genuine’ Relationship with Steelers HC Mike Tomlin

When Jeff Capel took over the Pitt head coaching job in 2018, one familiar name in the Pittsburgh coaching scene reached out to him: Mike Tomlin.

Tomlin, the Steelers head coach, gave Capel a call shortly after Capel took over the job. Since, the two have built a genuine relationship and have met up with each other numerous times in recent years.

“Since I took the job here, I’ve gotten to know Mike,” Capel said on Monday. “He reached out. There is a genuine friendship there. He is someone, from afar, before I got here, that I admired for the way that he leads.”

Capel has been spotted at Steelers practices several times throughout the past few seasons, including one time when he was hosting a potential recruit, Jahvon Quinerly, for a visit, according to a report by Sean Gentille.

Jeff Capel brought Jahvon Quinerly to Steelers OTAs for some quality time with Mike Tomlin. Not a bad recruiting card to play.

— Sean Gentille (@seangentille) May 29, 2019

Last year, Tomlin even came by to speak with the Pitt team — a team that ended up winning 24 games and making the Second Rounf of the NCAA Tournament.

“I’ve had a chance to get to know him and pick his brain at times,” Capel continued. “He came and spoke to our team last year before the season. [I am] just an admirer of him as a man, as a leader, and for the job that he continues to do with his organization.”

Pittsburgh’s storied NFL franchise will take on the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium at 4:30 p.m. on CBS.