Second-year Pittsburgh Steelers CB Cory Trice Jr. has had a hard road. While playing at Purdue, Trice suffered an ACL tear in 2021 after breaking his ankle as a senior in high school and even dealing with a high-ankle sprain early in 2021. But he persevered, working hard to return to the field and notching two interceptions and 10 passes defended in 2022.
Despite the productive numbers and tape in 2022, Trice fell to the Steelers in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He was the second corner taken by the Steelers in that draft alongside Joey Porter Jr. People hoped that Trice would develop and even push for playing time as a rookie.
Unfortunately, the injury bug reared its ugly head in training camp. In the Steelers’ first padded practice of training camp in 2023, Trice went down with an ACL tear, wiping out his rookie season. He worked hard to get healthy and was ready for training camp in 2024. And he even saw playing time in the first two weeks of the 2024 season. Then another injury. At that point, no one would have batted an eye had Trice gotten down on himself. But according to CB Donte Jackson, that’s not what happened.
“Trice came back from the ACL, got through camp, got through two weeks of the first season, and then hurt his hamstring again,” Jackson said Thursday on the Christian Kuntz Podcast. “But when he was out, second year he got injured again, he could have been down on himself. Nah, he was still in meetings every day, still asking questions. Even though he knew he out the next four weeks, he’s still asking questions. ‘Hey Jack, when he said they doing this, they usually do this, right?’ And I’m answering questions. That just shows like, the dude loves ball, man. He don’t even have to be here, he on IR, he was just hurt. He could be mentally out of it, but he’s in here every day still.”
Trice’s attendance at meetings and his constant questioning of veterans like Jackson are a testament to his mindset. Not only has Trice proven he’s resilient by returning from these injuries time and time again, but he’s also showing a commitment to improving the mental side of his game. Even when he can’t be on the field, he’s trying to learn how to be a better corner and recognize what opponents are doing.
Cory Trice Jr. did not see the field much in 2024. He only played in six games, but he recorded his first career interception in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos. His first career NFL start came in Week 18 versus the Cincinnati Bengals. He recorded 11 combined tackles and a tackle for a loss in that game.
And even when the Steelers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, Trice was a bright spot on the defense. That doesn’t happen without a commitment to learning. We knew Trice had good size and athleticism coming out of college, but the history of the NFL is full of great athletes failing to make an impact. The difference is when players work hard in the film room and the meeting room. And according to Donte Jackson, Cory Trice Jr. has proven he does that even in less-than-ideal circumstances.
