It’s been an unusual, challenging offseason in a million different ways for rookies entering the NFL. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of all invention and 4th round pick Kevin Dotson found that out this year. Since being at home during quarantine, Dotson’s posted videos of unconventional workouts, like this one pulling a truck down his street.
Louisiana OG Kevin Dotson finding a way to get some work in during the quarantine. pic.twitter.com/d2qOYuabMy
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) April 1, 2020
On a conference call with KDKA’s Bob Pompeani and Richie Walsh, along with teammate Chase Claypool, Dotson explained the motivation beyond getting so creative.
“It’s just part of the circumstances,” he said. “Couldn’t find any weight rooms. Couldn’t do anything for a few weeks before I found a place to workout. Just had to find a way. Didn’t want to lose anything I gained over these few months of training. So I did a lot of prison workouts. Pushing heavy stuff, pulling heavy stuff. Just doing what I can.”
Dotson’s no stranger to working hard or showing off his strength. He was regarded as one of college football’s best run blockers, earning the “people-mover” moniker by offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett and many draftniks. And that’s why the Steelers’ drafted him, on the heels of Art Rooney II’s mandate to improve the run game. That didn’t mean running more but running more effectively. Drafting Dotson combined with a healthy Ben Roethlisberger and James Conner are steps in that direction.
The good news is cities around the country are getting back to relative normalcy business-wise. Pittsburgh and much of Southwest PA, for example, transitioned to the “green phase” on Friday. That allowed all businesses to open, still practicing social distancing and heavy sanitation requirements. Mike Tomlin and the coaching staff were also allowed back to the Steelers’ South Side facility.
So when Dotson finally arrives to Pittsburgh, he’ll have a weight room, not a teammates truck to push around downtown.
