Roll out the red carpet because the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers training camp awards are here. With all 16 practices in the books, we’re recapping with our camp superlatives. From the best camp to the biggest disappointment to the best player, hardest worker, and most versatile, we’re attacking the last three weeks in Latrobe, PA, from every angle. These awards are only viewed through a camp lens and aren’t based on past success or future projections.
With that, put on your best suit and head on over to the show.
Biggest Winner/Best Camp Award: WR Van Jefferson
Of course, a Brandon Aiyuk trade could wash away everything Jefferson has built in the last month. And good training camps don’t automatically translate to a great regular season. As an example…the entire Steelers’ 2023 offense. This is no guarantee about Jefferson’s in-season play, but of the internal options, he secured the No. 2 spot in runaway fashion.
Jefferson had an excellent camp, showcasing strong hands and the ability to make tough catches. He also looked more athletic with burst than he showed in Atlanta last season. He’s a hard worker, versatile, and was consistent from start to finish while giving some real veteran experience and leadership in an otherwise young locker room. Is he an ideal No. 2 for an offense trying to get out of the basement? No. But on camp performance alone, it’s hard to find fault in anything Jefferson did.
Honorable Mentions: QB Justin Fields, WR George Pickens, TE Pat Freiermuth, OL Spencer Anderson, NT Montravius Adams, LB Patrick Queen, CB Donte Jackson
Biggest Disappointment: WR Calvin Austin III
I know I’ve been among the most critical of Austin over the offseason, skeptical of his place and role in the Steelers’ offense. But I sang his praises a year ago, handing him the “Breakout Award” for an excellent 2023 camp coming off his rookie knee injury.
This year wasn’t the same. Austin made some plays and ended camp on a higher note than he started while generally running as the No. 3 receiver behind George Pickens and Van Jefferson. But there were long stretches where his game just went completely quiet, and he still feels too feast or famine for someone who is a legitimate wide receiver and not some gadget guy.
After the team’s first 13 practices, Austin ranked 11th on the team in targets during 11 on 11 periods and had only eight catches, barely more than a half-catch per day. He did well to find the end zone and made more plays late in camp, but he still struggles to finish when the ball isn’t thrown perfectly on him. Austin is plenty fast, but this is a speedy receiver room where that asset isn’t as impressive. Scotty Miller had the better camp, running a well-rounded route tree, and is the better receiver right now. Austin may have been hindered by the limitations of Matt Canada’s offense but this summer showed it wasn’t all on the OC.
Honorable Mentions: QB Kyle Allen, OT Broderick Jones (And The Team’s Handling Of Him), OT Dylan Cook
Hardest Worker: LB Payton Wilson
This one felt a little less obvious than last year’s selection of Joey Porter Jr., but Wilson was often the first player on the field, sometimes appearing an hour before practice. Granted, it’s not like he was getting on the field to run 50-yard sprints, but he has the right approach to take practice seriously and settle into routines.
What impressed me most, intangible as it is, was his conditioning. Taking every rep, not missing practice, and playing more snaps in the preseason opener than any other Steeler. You don’t do that if you’re out of shape and if the coaches don’t trust you. Wilson has a veteran-like approach to the game already and that will serve him well.
Honorable Mentions: WR Van Jefferson, TE Pat Freiermuth, OL Mason McCormick, EDGE Nick Herbig, DL DeMarvin Leal, and RB Jaylen Warren (the latter two for their effort during practice)
Best Play: RB Jaylen Warren’s Backs On ‘Backers Takedown Of Elandon Roberts
The backs-on-‘backers run twice per camp is always one of the most physical and intense sessions of the summer. But the Friday Night Lights edition this year was one of the wildest slobberknockers I’ve ever seen in my decade attending and charting camp. LBs Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts set the tone early with plenty of trash talk. RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren responded.
After getting run through by Roberts in the first rep, Warren buckled down the second. Roberts went at him full steam with a bull. Warren anchored, stopped it, and then drove his feet to bury Roberts into the ground by the gaggle of offensive teammates hooting and hollering for him, Harris loudest of all. It led to a schoolyard scrum as even Mike Tomlin jumped in to try and break things up. But it was an awesome moment that embodies Warren. Fearless, tough, and a hyper-competitor. That’s a moment, the play or the feeling, you won’t soon forget.
Honorable Mentions: QB Russell Wilson’s 60-yard throw to WR Calvin Austin, RB Jonathan Ward’s 80-yard TD run, CB Beanie Bishop’s blitzing pick-six, QB Justin Fields’ 70-yard TD to WR George Pickens
‘Got A T-Shirt’ Award: LB Easton Gibbs
The guy whose camp came and went, only remembered by the T-shirt the team hopefully let him keep. That’s linebacker Easton Gibbs. Signed on Aug. 7 to replace the injured Tyler Murray, Gibbs took part in two camp practices and one preseason game, logging four defense snaps, one of which was a Texans’ kneel-down. He was cut Aug. 11 for another LB, Luquay Washington, so it’s clear the Steelers didn’t like what they saw with Gibbs out of the gate. At least he quickly found a new home.
Honorable Mentions: DL Jonathan Marshall, OLB Markus Golden
Biggest Surprise: QB Justin Fields’ Progression
Before the pads came on, Fields’ first four practices felt like a Chicago copy and paste. Inconsistent player, spotty short-area accuracy, moments of elite-level talent. Though discouraging, it felt expected, a player not far removed from the Bears where these struggles were on display the last three years. Players don’t change overnight.
Then Fields did. The rest of his camp was far better. Not just in hitting big plays, which he did, but being more consistent, doing routine things routinely, better accuracy and ball placement at all levels, and generally good decision-making. Repeated batted passes were his biggest problem, but Fields improved his play just over the span of a few weeks. He’s not a finished product, and this doesn’t mean his issues are gone forever, but he ended camp a different quarterback than how he began it.
Overall, I wasn’t truly surprised by much this camp, and Fields’ progression sticks out the most.
Honorable Mentions: OG Mason McCormick’s Immediate Comfort, CB Donte Jackson’s Solid Camp, K Chris Boswell’s Camp Misses, Lack Of Training Camp Rain (weather as good as it’s ever been)
Best Teammate: TE Pat Freiermuth and RB Najee Harris
Freiermuth and Harris have always been regarded as good teammates, but their vocal and visible leadership was on display this year like never before. Freiermuth and Harris were the biggest cheerleaders for their teammates. Freiermuth constantly made his way downfield to celebrate with offensive teammates of any position when they made a play, even things like a key block in the run game (as he did when Van Jefferson helped spring a long run, for example).
Harris was a little more focused on his position group but got as hyped as anyone when his fellow running backs succeeded in the backs-on-‘backers drill, like when Aaron Shampklin took it to Payton Wilson one rep during Friday Night Lights. But there were other moments like Harris speaking with LB Payton Wilson after a rep in a 1v1 competition/coverage drill that showed his willingness to give feedback to anyone.
Harris probably wasn’t the fan favorite, avoiding the crowd line pre-practice and not signing for fans before Friday Night Lights like most of his teammates, but he was a great teammate on the practice field. And the fact he did everything all camp, including live tackling sessions, despite being in a crucial contract year, is commendable, as Dave Bryan has pointed out.
Honorable Mentions: OT Broderick Jones, OG Isaac Seumalo, LB Patrick Queen
Fast Friends Award: LBs Patrick Queen/Elandon Roberts
Elandon Roberts is every linebacker’s friend. Last year, it was him and Kwon Alexander. This year, it was him and Queen. A little Shake ‘n Bake to their game, but really, they felt like the Bash Brothers. High intensity and high impact. But they were always hanging out in a corner of the middle field before practice and mentored Payton Wilson throughout the summer.
Honorable Mention: OL Nate Herbig/Zach Frazier
Top Coach: WRs Coach Zach Azzanni
The fiery new wide receivers coach, Azzanni is the right man for where this receiver group is at. Though it feels like a decade ago, George Pickens’ confrontation with Azzanni was the top story at the start of camp. But that was a good thing, a tough-love coach challenging his star receiver. Pickens seemed to grow throughout training camp and take to the hard coaching in an effort to make him a better player and he had an excellent camp.
But the award isn’t just for his time spent with Pickens. In drills, Azzanni was a teacher, choosing to pause drills to go over coaching points with players. That was everyone on the roster, even reserve Jacob Copeland, once spending a solid 20-30 seconds going over details with him. Azzanni was loud but instructive and constantly coached his guys up. They, like TEs Coach Alfredo Roberts, also started practice before everyone else, Azzanni putting them through basic drills before the first horn. He brought tons of energy, and players fed off it.
He went beyond just coaching wide receivers. Azzanni was active during special teams periods and assisted Danny Smith. The Steelers are the only NFL team with one titled special teams coach. Azzanni offered plenty of help.
Honorable Mentions: OC Arthur Smith, DBs Coach Grady Brown
Most Popular: QB Russell Wilson
This was a close one between the honorable mentions. Despite Wilson not practicing in full for most of camp, he still drew a ton of cheers coming down the stairs and regularly signed autographs for fans before practice. He earned big cheers from the crowd when he took the field near the bleachers and fans and was gracious enough to acknowledge their shouts early on in practice.
Honorable Mentions: QB Justin Fields, OLB T.J. Watt, TE Pat Freiermuth
‘Bleh’ Award: WR Jacob Copeland
Given to the guy who was there…and that’s about all I can say about him. That’s Copeland, an average-sized receiver stuck at the back of the pack from start to finish. He deserves props for making it all through camp and suited up every day but according to my stats, he caught just four passes for 33 yards during the team periods. That’s one catch every four practices.
Copeland’s odds of sticking were always long, but Jaray Jenkins made plays and moved up at least one rung throughout camp. Even Duece Watts, who also had a quiet camp with too many drops, had a couple of downfield plays and can say he caught Russell Wilson’s first pass during team period.
Honorable Mentions: OT Anderson Hardy, DL Jacob Slade, CB Kyler McMichael
Camp Darling: CB Thomas Graham Jr.
This year, there wasn’t an obvious camp darling like past seasons. And camp darlings don’t always have success or even stick. Our pick in 2023 was S Kenny Robinson. But Graham gets the edge, buried as a reserve cornerback at the beginning of camp who ends it with a chance to make the 53-man roster. He’s a playmaker on the football who picked off two passes and broke up several more throughout camp. For a time, including in the preseason opener, he saw second-team slot corner reps and earned praise from defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
Honorable Mentions: RB Aaron Shampklin, EDGE Kyron Johnson, FB Jack Colletto, LB Jacoby Windmon
Best Battle: LBs Patrick Queen/Elandon Roberts vs The Entire Steelers Offense
Queen and Roberts set the tone and routinely challenged the Steelers’ offense to meet the moment. In a tone that felt intentional, Queen and Roberts pushed the limits of how physical practice could be. You never see a quarterback hit in practice, so when Roberts threw a shoulder into Justin Fields, even at half-speed, it was a “woah” moment that got the offense heated. And it was Queen who started the fireworks in backs-on-‘backers as I mentioned above. While much of Queen and Roberts’ energy was focused on the running backs
Queen and Roberts brought energy and intensity and dared the offense to match it. By and large, to their credit, the offense did.
Honorable Mentions: CB Donte Jackson vs WR George Pickens, OG Isaac Seumalo vs DT Cam Heyward, SS DeShon Elliott vs TE Pat Freiermuth, WR Calvin Austin vs CB Beanie Bishop, OT Troy Fautanu vs EDGE Nick Herbig
Well-Rested Award: OG Isaac Seumalo
Joking a little bit with this one, and it’s not a barb at Seumalo or the team. But he had a light and highly-managed training camp even though he doesn’t turn 31 until Halloween. Seumalo was given the day off for 37.5 percent of the team’s practices, six of 16, and was the only starting offensive lineman to sit out the team’s preseason opener against the Houston Texans. Here are the dates Seumalo sat out: July 27, July 31, Aug. 3, Aug. 6, Aug. 8, and Aug. 14.
That was designed to give younger offensive linemen like Spencer Anderson and Mason McCormick, and it’s the right call by Mike Tomlin to give those guys longer looks. Still, Seumalo got to spend plenty of time wearing his bucket hat on Chuck Noll Field.
Honorable Mentions: DL Cam Heyward, All The Specialists
Breakout Player: EDGE Nick Herbig
Herbig will serve as the Steelers No. 3 outside linebacker after splitting time as the No. 3/No. 4 last season alongside Markus Golden. Herbig had a strong camp and was a consistent source of pressure. He has a deep array of pass-rush moves and spent time working with anyone to improve his game. That meant plenty of reps with T.J. Watt on the side and spending one post-practice session learning from James Harrison.
If sacks were legal in camp, Herbig would’ve had a dozen of them. Watch out for him hitting the Alex Highsmith inside spin move on some poor offensive tackle this year. It’s gonna happen.
Honorable Mentions: OL Spencer Anderson, NT Keeanu Benton
Most Consistent: LB Elandon Roberts
Steady as they come, Roberts brought heat every day he suited up. An excellent run-stopper, he threw his body around and never took a play off. It’s hard to think of a bad rep that he had and while coverage isn’t his strongest suit, he’s far from a liability. The dude just shows up, puts in a solid 2.5 hours, wakes up, and does it again. Payton Wilson will rotate with him, but Roberts will play a role in Pittsburgh having an excellent top-three at inside linebacker.
Honorable Mentions: WR George Pickens, TE Pat Freiermuth, DL Isaiahh Loudermilk
Mr. Versatile Award: QB/WR/ST’er John Rhys Plumlee
This almost went to Logan Lee, but Plumlee made a late push for the job by dabbling at wide receiver at the end of camp after Pittsburgh dealt with some injuries.
Though still a quarterback, he said “yes” to anything that could add to his value. Plumlee returned kicks and punts throughout camp and ran back two kicks in the Steelers’ preseason opener. Later that game, he worked as the personal protector on the punt team – something he didn’t do in training camp – and made a fourth-quarter tackle. Then, he caught two passes after stepping into play receiver in a pinch.
Making the 53 still seems impossible, but Plumlee’s can-do attitude is commendable. He wore hats quarterbacks almost never put on. His play and versatility are enough to keep him on Pittsburgh’s practice squad and serve as a key member of the scout team.
Honorable Mentions: DL Logan Lee, CB/S Cam Sutton, DL/OLB DeMarvin Leal, RB Jonathan Ward
Worst Moment: WR Roman Wilson’s Ankle Injury
By and large, Pittsburgh got through camp in relatively good health without any major or long-term injuries to key starters or backups. But losing Wilson on the first day of pads to an ankle sprain was a gut punch, interrupting a camp that was heading in the right direction. A freak injury being tackled on a jet sweep in seven shots that cost him the rest of camp, though it appears he’ll be ready for Week 1 of the regular season at the latest.
Honorable Mentions: OLB David Perales’ Knee Injury, CB Grayland Arnold’s Calf Injury
Biggest Takeaway: The Offense Looks Competent
I hope you’re…whelmed? It would be irresponsible to proclaim this offense fixed and ready to roll for 28 points per game. This offense probably isn’t at that level. But they do have an air of competency with the basics down to not trip over themselves all season. An experienced and solid coordinator, quarterbacks with talent, an improved offensive line, two good backs, and passable weapons in the passing game, even if the skill guys feel a little incomplete. There will be more play-action, more successful running back screens, and a smarter scheme that gets guys open.
No longer is this a bumbling college-based scheme with a vision that doesn’t meet personnel. The regular season is a clean slate and there’s no certainty of how the offense looks. But I’d be surprised if they didn’t at least feel average. That’s not their goal, but it’s a realistic floor for this unit, provided key players stay healthy.
