By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

Mike Tomlin will roam the Steelers sideline tonight for his first game as an NFL head coach and it's something he is definitely looking forward to.

"I have sat in the back seat and passenger seat enough and you are always talking about how much you want to do that, so we will see on Sunday night," said Tomlin. "I am looking forward to that, but more importantly than that, I am looking forward to watching the guys compete."

He won't be alone on that sideline, as much of the coaching staff will join him. Tomlin was always on the sidelines on game day while a defensive coordinator in Minnesota and he will be joined on the sidelines tonight by both of his coordinators, Dick LeBeau and Bruce Arians, a change from the past when one of the coordinators was normally in the coaches booth in the press box.

The only coaches in the press box will be running backs coach Kirby Wilson, offensive assistant Harold Goodwin, defensive backs coach Ray Horton and defensive assistant Lou Spanos.

"You can't cook from the living room," said Tomlin. "I coordinated from the field and I coached secondary in Tampa Bay from the field. I think there is value in being able to look a man in the face and see what is going on with him and communicate.

"I think you need to be close to the men, to get a feel of what is going on down on the sideline. You need to feel the energy. You need to feel the ups and downs that are involved in football."

 And while he will be involved in what is going on in the game from all three aspects, offense, defense and special teams, Tomlin will leave the play-calling to the coordinators.