Steelers HC Mike Tomlin stirs the pot with his reaction to speculation about trading for star WR

No matter which way you go, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in the news.

With trade murmurs flying all around Pittsburgh and WR Brandon Aiyuk, it's safe to say that plenty of fans are on pins and needles.

But for Mike Tomlin, he was as calm and cool as ever when asked about the speculation, and not once, but twice on Wednesday morning.

Tomlin Tries to Play Coy

Appearing ahead of his pregame presser on 102.5 WDVE in Pittsburgh, when Tomlin was asked about his morning calls, the HC said: "It's a little early on the west side right now, so probably not."

An obvious nod to the reported talks going on between Pittsburgh and the San Francisco 49ers as it pertains to Aiyuk, Tomlin had fun in that exchange, but he made sure everyone saw his reaction when asked about Aiyuk in his press conference.

"I'll let you guys speculate on that," said Coach Tomlin when asked if the Steelers were looking to add another WR to their depth chart .

But it wasn't his words that sent people into a tizzy, it was his sly smile that looked as if the Coach knows what's on the horizon.

"So the interesting thing about this, is it seemed like the 49ers were intent on keeping Brandon Aiyuk, and now, as the days have gone on, this has dragged out. Now the sense I'm getting is it's a matter of when this happens, not if this happens," ESPN NFL reporter Kimberley A. Martin said on Get Up when speaking to a trade. "Now, [Adam] Schefter reported that the Patriots have bowed out. I'm told after talking to multiple sources that Brandon Aiyuk did not want to play for the Patriots, and he doesn't want to play for the Browns. And that's interesting because both of those teams made significant offers to get him...

"...But as of right now, keep an eye on the Steelers. This does not feel like a Steelers team of old how they're maneuvering. I think this is a team that understands that having non-losing seasons is not gonna cut it in that division, especially. So, you know, Omar Khan, the GM looking to do a little bit more wheeling and deal, and Justin Fields, they're not standing pat at that quarterback position."

We know that Khan has changed the way Pittsburgh does business and that much is proven by the fact that Pittsburgh is in these negotiations to begin with.

So what exactly is going on, is truly anyone's guess. The situation is as fluid as many insiders have ever covered. But it's hard to listen to Mike Tomlin's words and watch his body language and think he's not up to something.

Related: NFL insider says Steelers' acquisition of star WR comes down to Omar Khan: ‘Sweetening the pot’ for the 49ers