For many on the roster of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the upcoming trip to Latrobe for another iteration of Steelers’ training camp at Saint Vincent College will be a first for them.
Of the 89 players on the roster currently, just 22 players have experienced the atmosphere that is the rolling hills of Saint Vincent College under the grueling summer heat in Unity Township where past Steelers’ greats have made their mark while coming together as a team.
Names like Minkah Fitzpatrick, Chase Claypool, Najee Harris, Alex Highsmith and more will get a chance to finally experience the atmosphere that is Saint Vincent College for training camp practices, where Steelers’ faithful line the hills and pack the bleachers at Chuck Noll Field each day practice is open to the public, creating an old-school feel.
It’s going to be an exciting time for many, especially with the throwback feel to a college environment with players living in cramped dorm rooms, no WiFi, no air conditioning, and more. As plenty of players on the 90-man roster are gearing up for the experience that is training camp at Saint Vincent College, all eyes will be on the quarterback competition for the black and gold under the bright sun between the rolling hills of Latrobe featuring the likes of Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett.
Having never experienced an NFL training camp before, plenty of attention will be paid to Pickett during his time in Latrobe. Under two weeks away from the start of training camp, Pickett seems to have the right mindset for his first NFL training camp, calling it another business trip where he has the opportunity to get better, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko.
“Camp’s camp, so it’s definitely a business trip, a work trip,” Pickett said to Batko during spring workouts, according to original reporting from the Post-Gazette. “It doesn’t matter where it’s at. It’s all, at the end of the day, pretty much the same — just working every day — so I’m excited to get to it.”
At this point in the NFL, two-a-days are no more, and training camp is much less grueling than it once was, even when Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin first took over in 2007. Still, it will be quite the experience for Pickett, especially back in a college-like setting. With plenty of attention on him on and off the field, Pickett told Batko he’s looking forward to seeing the fan support and immersing himself in the environment that is Saint Vincent College.
“I think it’ll be really cool seeing the fans every day,” Pickett said to Batko, according to original reporting from the Post-Gazette. “I’ve heard there’s a ton of support, and we really appreciate all the fans who come out, so I’m excited for that aspect of it, as well.”
In eight days, Pickett will get to make that famed walk from the dorms down the sidewalk lined with fans to Chuck Noll Field for his first official Steelers’ training camp. That will be a moment in and of itself for the rookie first-round pick. From there though, it’s just another business trip for the former Pitt star, one that gives him a great opportunity to get better each and every day.
