The Pittsburgh Steelers head coach framed his entire commencement address as a pregame speech, telling the graduates that what awaited them beyond the doors was the game of life. Drawing on his football experience, Tomlin reassured the class that early success shouldn't lead to overconfidence, and early failure shouldn't lead to despair. Whether they burst out and had great success or tripped and fell flat on their faces, the initial moments would not determine the final score. He urged them to press on with the same determination that brought them to graduation day.