That first lap around the track for Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive lineman Keeanu Benton was a bit of a whirlwind, one that saw him thrust into a large role for the Black and Gold almost immediately due to Cameron Heyward’s injury, and then saw his playing time surprisingly reduced late in the season.
Once that lap around the track was completed though, Benton was able to take a step back, catch his breath, get his feet underneath him and assess.
That assessment led to him focusing on his body this offseason. In the process, Benton — who spoke to reporters Thursday following minicamp — lost 10 pounds and put himself in a good position physically entering Year 2, taking better care of his body.
“It was mostly just getting to know my body a little better. That was my first NFL season, the most games I’ve ever played in a year,” Benton said to reporters, according to video via Steelers.com. “So, just getting to know my body better and kind of preparing it for this year was probably my biggest takeaway.
“I feel like the game itself, physically and mentally, I know I need to get better. But that’s something that goes without being said. But I was really focused on my body.”
That jump from 12-14 games in college to 17+ games in the NFL can be very difficult on the body for young players. They can get worn down at the end of the season.
That may or may not have happened with Benton, which could have coincided with his playing time decreased for stretches late in the season. But now, entering Year 2, he thinks he’s in a much better spot, knows his body a bit more and feels he’s prepared physically for his second season.
Great news for the Steelers, bad news for opponents, considering Benton was so impactful in his 483 snaps last season as a rookie, flashing serious speed and power on the interior, showing out as a pass rusher at times, too.
Getting in tune with his body meant losing 10 pounds, too.
“I lost about 10 pounds, but I figured out how to get some more body muscle rather than putting that on in fat,” Benton said. “It’s a lot different training than college training, so it was good that I had that time off to focus on my body and I can really get detailed.”
That time off in the offseason, rather than training for the Senior Bowl, preparing for the Combine and then his Pro Day, will be huge for Benton. He got a chance to catch his breath and really hone in on training physically for the NFL. That weight loss, which was seemingly done the right way, should help him big-time in his second season.
