There are very few NFL training camps that are run the way that Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers run theirs. Most teams play wrap-up or something less than full contact in an effort to preserve health, but the Steelers are among just a few teams that run full contact. Tomlin says you can’t box without first sparring. They want to get as realistic a look at their players as possible in a practice setting to take any guesswork out of the equation. It is always physical at Saint Vincent College, but veteran DE Cameron Heyward says this year stands above the rest.
“Physicality has been an all-time high,” Heyward said via his Not Just Football podcast posted on YouTube. “You watch some of our guys we have, Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, they have been getting after it in backs on ‘backers. Mike T. is trying to kind of pull those guys out and give some other guys a chance. But man, the physicality of it is really special.”
Nobody on the roster is more qualified to give a comparison to past Steelers training camps than Cameron Heyward. He is by far the longest-tenured player on the team. Being drafted in 2011, this is his 14th time going through training camp with the team.
The perfect example of how physical everything has been was a three-day stretch last week. The day after the pads came on, the first fight broke out after Roberts hit Justin Fields late and some offensive linemen retaliated. The next day, with the pads off, another fight broke out. Then the Steelers went into Friday Night Lights and held one of the most physical and electric backs-on-‘backers sessions in recent memory with Harris and Warren getting the better of Queen and Roberts.
There are several new faces both on the roster and the coaching staff. Guys like offensive coordinator Arthur Smith are fueling the competitive flames by talking smack to the defense throughout team sessions. And then Donte Jackson, Patrick Queen, and DeShon Elliott are all physical players who like to chirp at their competition. It is the perfect environment for getting the best out of both sides.
Watt said something similar about the intensity of these practices last weekend in an interview with Kay Adams.
“It’s a little sick,” Watt joked about Tomlin’s love for physicality. “He likes to see guys run into each other at full speed. But that’s what we’re about here. It’s about who’s gonna compete and who’s gonna turn away.”
The risk of injuries is elevated with this type of training camp, but to this point the Steelers have avoided any significant injuries to their core roster. And I can guarantee you the coaches are getting a great look at the capabilities of the players. They will be able to make a much more informed decision when it comes to sorting out the 53-man roster and who earns a role on game day.
