Training Camp

[MR.V.]

Anyone been to the first day of camp?I'll be in town for a long weekend and want to go.

[Oviedo]

I think they report Thursday. Not sure first day open to the public but would guess Saturday

[Slapstick]

It looks like Friday has an "open to public" practice...

http://www.steelers.com/schedule-and-events/training-camp-schedule.html

[RuthlessBurgher]

Steelers Add New Experiences To 2016 Training Camp
Posted 1 hour ago


The first practice open to the public will be held on Friday, July 29.

The Steelers’ first practice open to the public will be Friday, July 29, at Saint Vincent College, home of Steelers training camp since 1966.

While fans in attendance will be able to enjoy watching the Steelers prepare for the 2016 season as they always have, the team has developed new programming, for both fans in attendance as well as those who can’t make it to Saint Vincent College.

Opening weekend for the team’s 2016 training camp will include an NFL Network Fan Activation Zone, featuring appearances by former Steelers Rocky Bleier and Mel Blount, as well as a Super Bowl LI Lombardi Trophy display.

Members of Steelers Nation Unite, the official fan loyalty program of the team, will be treated to a new feature in 2016. Twice daily, select SNU members will be able to take part in a special viewing of the team’s 2015 highlight film. To sign up to become a member of SNU, visit www.steelersnationunite.com (http://www.steelersnationunite.com).

Other new on-site activities at training camp include interactive photo opportunities, along with daily fan experiences, including VIP passes and other giveaways. Fans can also visit the new Steelers merchandise tent, featuring Steelers authentic memorabilia.

The annual Friday Night Lights practice will take place at Latrobe Memorial Stadium on Friday, August 5. The day will feature “Steelers Fest” from 12-6 p.m., and ESPN SportsCenter On the Road will broadcast Live from 7-9 p.m. at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. Fans will have the opportunity to take a picture with the team’s six Lombardi Trophies at Steelers Fest. Practice concludes with a fireworks display presented by Pepsi.

The Steelers and preseason TV partner KDKA will launch a new weekly TV program, “Steelers Camp 2016 – Back To Work.” The program, hosted by Bob Pompeani, Charlie Batch and Missi Matthews, will air for the first three Saturdays during training camp on KDKA-TV following the late news.

This year’s camp also features joint practices with the Detroit Lions on Tuesday, August 9 and Wednesday, August 10. Practice times are TBD.

For all information concerning Steelers training camp, including a full camp schedule, visit www.steelers.com (http://www.steelers.com).

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Steelers-Add-New-Experiences-To-2016-Training-Camp/301a98d4-e64a-4fa4-adb8-e82985590d83

[MR.V.]

Thanks for the info,I'll prob go Friday and maybe Saturday.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Ready to go on Day 1
Posted 1 hour ago


Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

CB Senquez Golson and his teammates are ready for practice to get rolling.

LATROBE, Pa. – It’s back to work for the Steelers today when they take the field for the first time during training camp at Saint Vincent College and the players are ready to go.

Maybe nobody more so than cornerback Senquez Golson.

Golson, the second-year cornerback, missed his entire rookie season after undergoing surgery last August for a shoulder injury. He didn’t participate in camp at all last year, but was with his teammates watching and taking it all in. This year, it’s a lot different.

“It’s been a while. I am excited to get out there,” said Golson. “I am in great shape ready to go. It’s been a crazy year for me. I am anxious to be back out there. I am ready to go.

“Just being out put an extra emphasis on every day. I am just taking advantage of every day.”

He isn’t the only feeling the energy. Rookie safety Sean Davis is anxious for practices to kick in.

“I am ready to roll,” said Davis. “We have been home for five weeks and I am glad to get back with everybody, put everything together. Finally have my real tryout.”

Linebacker Bud Dupree has a year under his belt, and the second-year linebacker now knows what to expect when the team takes the field.

“I am ready to get out here and get my second season under my belt and work on getting number seven here,” said Dupree. “I know what I have to do, I just have to make it happen.

“Going through it last year, I feel like I am way ahead of last year and knowing what to expect. I know how things go, conditioning-wise, playbook-wise. I feel like I am way ahead just knowing those things.”

Dupree came into camp 20 pounds lighter than he was last year, something he expects will be a benefit.

“That will help out,” said Dupree. “I just feel like I wanted to be lighter, from a conditioning aspect, so I can play more plays.”

Hello Steelers Nation: The first practice means fans were lining up early waiting for the parking lots to open, and it also means there will be plenty of energy when the team does take the field. That is something that isn’t lost on the players.

“I didn’t get it that much at Maryland,” said Davis. “The great fan base, for them to be out here supporting us even in practice, I am looking forward to it.”

There is plenty for fans to do while at camp, but the players love it when they settle in and watch them go to work.

“It’s humbling, but it’s exciting at the same time,” said wide receiver Eli Rogers. “You are coming out here every day in front of all of these fans that are coming to the games. It’s pretty exciting. It gives you the balance of having fans out there but still be in the right space to perform right.”

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Ready-to-go-on-Day-1/1d5877d7-1349-4bde-8bf1-3041e267d927

[MR.V.]

Had a great time today.Won a t-shirt at the Steeler Nation Unite Booth and enjoyed a spirited practice.I know it's the first day of camp but the boys look good

[RuthlessBurgher]

Mike Tomlin’s not afraid of physical practices in training camp
Posted by Darin Gantt on August 2, 2016, 12:15 PM EDT

NFL teams are monitored closely for excessive contact during minicamps and OTAs, as the last CBA hoped to take better care of players.

But once they get to training camp, it’s fair game, and the Steelers are apparently taking full advantage of that.

According to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin thinks a more physical practice is a requirement for his team.

“It’s a necessary part of the team-building process for us,” Tomlin said. “We don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what others do, we want to have a winning edge. Physicality is still as much a part of the game of football as it’s always been, from my perspective. That’s why we take our approach to team building.

“We got 90 guys out there, many of which are new; we’re trying to evaluate them. When you play with that level of intensity, and tackling at times, it eliminates a lot of speculation and provides clarity.”

Offensive coordinator Todd Haley agreed they were among the most physical practices he’s ever seen, and he used to work for known proponent of hitting Bill Parcells.

Not every team is going to go along with the idea. In fact, most of them probably won’t. But Tomlin clearly feels strongly about it, and probably will until there’s a friendly fire incident that affects his team’s ability to win games.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/08/02/mike-tomlins-not-afraid-of-physical-practices-in-training-camp/

[RuthlessBurgher]

Report: 'Steelers knocking the absolute ---- out of each other'
Bryan DeArdo - 16 hours ago

Steeler Nation loves a tough, rugged football team. But can the team be too physical, too early?

After the team suffered a slew of injuries last season, that's a question that one could raise as the team begins preparations for the 2016 season. Monday's practice -- the team's fifth of training camp -- was so physical that it drew this reaction from longtime NFL reporter Albert Breer.


The Steelers are knocking the absolute ---- out of each other. This is the most physical practice I've been to in a couple years.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 1, 2016


Offensive coordinator Todd Haley, once the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, agreed that Steelers practices conducted by Mike Tomlin are some of the most physical practices he's seen in the years he's been associated with football.

"Of all the places I've been, it's ratcheted up a little bit form a physicality standpoint, which is exciting," Haley told ESPN on Tuesday. "I believe in getting them ready for combat. They've worked really hard to get themselves ready for this. I think it's all part of the preparation for a 16-game season."

Haley's boss, Tomlin, echoed Haley's sentiments, while adding that the only reason for the intense practices are to get the team ready for what they'll face once the season begins.

"(Hitting is) very much an element of our game," Tomlin said. "We're not trying to set a tone. We're trying to prepare."

While Tomlin -- a Super Bowl winning coach with a .639 winning percentage -- obviously knows what he's doing, even he has confessed to working at least one of his team's too far. In the NFL Network's documentary of their Super Bowl victory in 2008, Tomlin admitted that he may have worked the 2007 Steelers -- his first team -- "to a nub" during training camp and into the season, which led to the team running out of gas during the second half of the season and into the playoffs, where they quickly fell to the Jaguars in the AFC wild card round.

And while injuries are simply a part of the game, Tomlin's Steelers appear to get bitten by the injury bug far too much. Willie Parker's career ended prematurely after he suffered an injury during Tomlin's first season (he played two more years but was never the same). Le'Veon Bell has suffered an injury in each of his first three seasons with the team. Maurkice Pouncey suffered two season-ending injuries in the past three seasons. This training camp alone, several Steelers have endured injuries, with cornerback Senquez Golson suffering a mid-foot injury during Monday's practice. It seems that injuries continue to haunt Tomlin's teams, as he enters his 10th season as Pittsburgh's coach.

It would be preposterous to entirely blame Tomlin for the team's injury woes during his time as coach. Injuries are unpredictable, and can happen to anyone on any play. But it's not a stretch to question whether or not the intensity of Tomlin's practices do take a toll on the team, something that Steelers fans may need to keep an eye on as training camp continues.

http://pit.247sports.com/Bolt/Report-Steelers-knocking-the-absolute-out-of-each-other-46537421

[RuthlessBurgher]

Labriola on the answer to: 'Who looks good?'
Posted 3 hours ago

Bob Labriola
Steelers.com

There will be time for the rookies and the no-names, but appreciate the difference-makers.

LATROBE, Pa. – Ready or not, here it comes:

* Yes, it’s the same answer, but it’s true, and in fairness, the question is the same.

* Who’s looking good? Ben Roethlisberger.

* The response most people are looking for when asking that question is some combination of the names of rookies, veteran free agents signed in the previous offseason, and nobodies from nowhere who are trying to make names for themselves in the NFL.

* That’s all fine, and I love a feel-good as much as the next person, but there’s nothing wrong when the team’s best and most important player is looking as good as Roethlisberger has during the opening few days of Camp 2016. The throws he makes, the accuracy he displays, the way he elevates the offense just by being one of the 11 on the field probably get taken for granted by a bunch of those fans spending a summer afternoon in the stands at Chuck Noll Field.

* It was rainy and miserable on Saturday, July 31, which was the second of the two mandatory “acclimation days,” which is code for more minicamp before the pads go on and the sport begins to be practiced the way it has to be played. The football had to be heavy from the rain, because everything was heavy from the rain. Roethlisberger participated that afternoon, and maybe that was why he was given a maintenance day by Coach Mike Tomlin on Sunday.

* Sunday, Aug. 1 marked the first hitting of the summer, and the defense enjoyed the better of the competitions for the most part throughout the afternoon session. During backs-on-backers, Tomlin was heard to shout at one point, “Does anyone in a white jersey want to win one of these reps?”

* The offense is the unit in the white jerseys.

* Monday, Aug. 2 was a reversal of fortune. When asked about it after the practice, Tomlin smiled and said, “I opened up by saying Ben was (back practicing) today. Sometimes that’s got a lot to do with the ebb and flow. That’s why I laughed yesterday when you guys suggested that it was the defense’s day.”


* One way to gauge what Tomlin refers to as “ebb and flow” could be the day’s annual installment of “seven shots.” The drill that became a staple on campus here last summer is back, and while it provides a daily dose of competition to both units it also serves as a canvas for Roethlisberger. Sometimes it’s accuracy, sometimes a quick and correct decision, sometimes just a difference-making arm that puts the ball in an impossible place for the defense.

* On Sunday, Landry Jones was the quarterback for “seven shots,” and the offense scored just twice. I can hear the whining in the distance already, but Jones had one pass dropped in the end zone, he had his left tackle get beat easily for what would have been a sack, and the offensive line failed to open a hole for DeAngelo Williams on a running play.

* With Roethlisberger out there on Monday, Aug. 1, in the same drill, the offense was 4-for-4. After a day off, it was more of the same on Wednesday, Aug. 3. Three successes in four snaps, with the only failure being a result of a young guy not being disciplined enough to get a second foot down inbounds in the back of the end zone.

* This drill every day illustrates clearly that it’s just different with Roethlisberger, a visual example of what is meant when it’s said about an athlete “that he makes those around him better.” And it’s free admission, plus free parking. What a deal.

* One more Roethlisberger item, because standing 10 feet away and watching it happen brought out a range of emotions, from disbelief, to fear, to relief, and then an appreciation for a display of the athleticism that has come to be known as “Ben being Ben.”

* During backs-on-backers, it’s usually a ball-boy or an equipment guy who stands in the square as the pretend quarterback. Really, he’s nothing but a physical marker, for the defense so as to aim its rush, and for the offense so as to know what space to protect. It’s not dangerous, per se, because there is no hitting of the pretend quarterback, never, ever, but the blocker and the rusher are going full speed at each other and stuff happens.

* Since it was his maintenance day, and he had no other responsibilities, Roethlisberger stepped into the square. Tomlin was right there watching.

* Understand that every guy in a helmet knew who was standing in the square, but the look Roethlisberger was willing to provide during a drill that mimics a critical element of every NFL game these days – pass protection for the offense vs. pass rush for the defense – is what a good teammate does. Plus, it was a good opportunity for him to be able to drill his own footwork, because the movements he was using will serve him well when the whole point of the rush will be to put him on his butt.

* Full disclosure, I stopped breathing a couple of times when there were bodies at Roethlisberger’s feet, or guys were coming at him as they were going to the ground in their one-on-one competition. But it was impressive to watch him move around in the pocket, slide left or right, forward sometimes, too. Nimble, quick feet. Sometimes a bit of a stiff-arm mixed in so that he never really got touched.

* And then such relief from the audience when the drill ended and everybody walked away.

* By the way, here are some other guys who look good at camp so far: Antonio Brown. Le’Veon Bell. Cam Heyward. Ryan Shazier. Stephon Tuitt. Maurkice Pouncey.

* Camp is one week old, which means there are just about two more weeks to go, and then a couple of more weeks back in Pittsburgh while still going through the preseason process. There will be time for rookies and the no-names, but right now it’s enough to appreciate some of the guys who have been difference-makers and will be called upon to be that again.

http://www.steelers.com/news/labriola-on/article-1/Labriola-on-the-answer-to-Who-looks-good/c383df91-3929-4f17-b7e7-36bbf0faca8d

[RuthlessBurgher]

Practice Report: Hitting the gym
Posted Aug 14, 2016

By Mike Prisuta

The Steelers' response to rain was mental work indoors.

LATROBE, Pa. - A breakdown of Practice No. 13 at Saint Vincent College:

WHO’LL STOP THE RAIN: The Steelers were forced indoors and did what they could in a college gymnasium because of persistent and at times heavy rain.

"We got rained out this afternoon but that didn’t stop us from coming in here and making some necessary corrections," head coach Mike Tomlin said of the Steelers' first collective response to Friday night’s 30-17, preseason-opening loss to Detroit. "Often times when you slow down on the activity it increases the communication. And that’s good, the giving and receiving of information, whether it’s coach to player or player to player.

"I thought we had a productive outing in here."

Offensive coordinator Todd Haley, likewise, wasn’t displeased with the work the Steelers were able to get in indoors.

"For us, it’s a chance to really get the mental side of the game going," Haley said. "It gives us an advantage mentally to really go though assignments, adjustments and all those types of things."

SEVEN SHOTS: This version was much less competitive in the indoor setting (the pass "rush," for example, consisted of players taking one or two steps and then pulling up).

QB Ben Roethlisberger hit conversion passes to WR Markus Wheaton, TE Jesse James and TE David Johnson. Roethlisberger also successfully executed a read-option keeper by pulling the ball back from RB DeAngelo Williams and then darting around the right end.

QB Landry Jones hit Johnson, RB Le’Veon Bell and TE Paul Lang for conversions.

In all instances the level of resistance was debatable as the offense tried to move a few feet on the hardwood as opposed to a couple of yards on a field.

WELCOME BACK: Wheaton was joined by LB Bud Dupree, LB Jarvis Jones and CB Artie Burns among players who took "reps," such as they were, after sitting out the Lions game.

OT Marcus Gilbert apparently had the day off (the first-team offensive line included LT Alejandro Villanueva and RT Ryan Harris).

OT Jerald Hawkins and LB Anthony Chickillo also didn’t participate.

OG/C Chris Hubbard played some tackle, as he had against the Lions.

MEDICAL FILE: "Hawkins has a shoulder," Tomlin said. "That shoulder's going to be evaluated. I don't know how long he's going to be out or what that process could be. We're hopeful that a number of people with the soft-tissue type of injuries associated with camp continue to work themselves back into the fold this week, guys like Burns and Dupree within that group. Chickillo hurt his ankle during the game. (DL) L.T. Walton, with tightness in his back, Jarvis Jones, and others, hopefully we get some of these guys back."

AUDIBLES: "I like to call it a natural bone. Sometimes, God's with them, gave them a day today. We worked above the neck as opposed to below the neck. We find ways to make it productive for them individually and collectively." - Tomlin on the rain.

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Practice-Report-Hitting-the-gym/7abaf6a2-2696-41cb-a015-b8fddb03a11f

[RuthlessBurgher]

Practice Report: Hit and Run
Posted 18 hours ago

By Mike Prisuta

DL coach Mitchell emphasizes maximum effort, again.

LATROBE, Pa. - A breakdown of Practice No. 14 at Saint Vincent College:

HIT AND RUN: The defensive linemen hit the blocking sled and were then encouraged by assistant head coach/defensive line coach John Mitchell to “turn and run.”

And there was a great deal of encouragement, as it turned out.

“We’re going to chase the damn ball,” Mitchell barked.

Mitchell’s mantra became the soundtrack of the session.

“Chase the ball … that’s our job … It’s going to be just as humid Thursday night, maybe more … chase the damn ball.”

Attention to detail four days before Thursday night’s preseason game against Philadelphia was such that Mitchell had NT Daniel McCullers repeat a rep.

On the first try, McCullers’ head had been higher than the blocking pad on the sled.

On McCullers’ second attempt, the error in technique was corrected.

The message must have gotten through.

In 11-on-11 play, McCullers ran to the ball so hard on one rep that he blasted his way right through DE Ricardo Mathews, who hit the deck hard after becoming an unintentional victim of friendly fire.

“Way to run to the ball,” inside linebackers coach Jerry Olsavsky screamed at McCullers.

SEVEN SHOTS: The drill opened with QB Ben Roethlisberger hitting TE Xavier Grimble for a conversion, missing on a throw to TE Jesse James (LB Ryan Shazier was in coverage) and connecting with WR Antonio Brown, who hauled in the pass despite the close coverage of CB William Gay.

RB DeAngelo Williams was stopped short of the goal line.

QB Landry Jones hit TE David Johnson but S/CB Sean Davis came up and stopped the play short of the goal line. Jones next scrambled and found RB Le’Veon Bell for a conversion and threw incomplete for WR Cobi Hamilton (S Jacob Hagen had a chance to intercept the ball but didn’t).

The defense won the drill, 4-3.

SPECIAL CAT: “Special Category” work was devoted to honing the no-huddle offense and defending the no-huddle approach. It included WR Eli Rogers being knocked to the ground by a shot from S Shamarko Thomas moments after a Roethlisberger pass had eluded Rogers’ outstretched arms.

Rogers had previously been popped hard by LB Vince Williams just after hauling in a pass from QB Dustin Vaughan (Rogers held onto the ball).

Head coach Mike Tomlin’s reaction?

“Way to go, Vince.”

MEDICAL FILE: QB Bruce Gradkowski, LB Bud Dupree, LB Anthony Chickillo, OT Jerald Hawkins, OT Marcus Gilbert and DE L.T. Walton didn’t practice. WR Markus Wheaton, CB Artie Burns and LB Travis Feeney were among those who returned on a full or partial basis (Burns got some early work with the second-team defense in “Seven Shots” but didn’t do much thereafter). Head coach Mike Tomlin said Gradkowski has a “soft-tissue injury” and added, “I know it’s going to be a number of weeks,” before Gradkowski can return. Gradkowski left Friday night’s preseason opener against Detroit with what was announced as a hamstring injury.

AUDIBLES: “I see you 2-8, way to work 2-8.” - DE Cam Heyward to nickel back Sean Davis (No. 28 ) during an 11-on-11 rep.

“Quit holding the ball.” _ Heyward to Vaughan, who appeared reluctant to release a pass as Davis and others were scrambling to maintain coverage in 11-on-11 work.

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Practice-Report-Hit-and-Run/7a1d50e9-9034-42b9-9364-342e4079fc01

[bostonsteeler]

Practice Report: Hitting the gym
"We worked above the neck as opposed to below the neck. We find ways to make it productive for them individually and collectively." - Tomlin on the rain.


Where does this dude come up with these pearls from? :D:D:D
I see him heading for politics once he's done with football. He won't need a teleprompter either..

[The Man of Steel]

Where does this dude come up with these pearls from? :D:D:D
I see him heading for politics once he's done with football. He won't need a teleprompter either..
I'm a little shocked that the word "obviously" is nowhere to be found anywhere in that particular quote.

[RuthlessBurgher]

This & That: 'It's just football'
Posted 2 hours ago


Teresa Varley
Steelers.com


A rookie reacts to the preseason, a veteran bond helps the line, and more.

A little bit of this, and a little bit of that as the Steelers prepare to take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night at Heinz Field.

It’s still football: Rookie Demarcus Ayers said the biggest thing he learned from his first NFL game, is it’s still the same game he has been playing since he was a kid.

“It’s just football,” said Ayers. “You think about it and you always dream about being in the NFL. You experience that from the sideline to start. You see the veteran guys out there flying around making plays. Then going out there and doing it myself after watching the veteran guys, and seeing myself on film, it’s an unbelievable experience. I had so much fun.”

Strong bond: Defensive ends Stephon Tuitt and Cameron Heyward are a formidable tandem for the Steelers defensive line, and much of that is because of the strong bond the two have on the field and friendship off the field.

“When you play with a defensive line you have to be comfortable with each other because you feed off each other,” said Tuitt. “The best way to get to the quarterback is by knowing the person you rush with, what he is going to do and him knowing what you are going to do. We have formed a brotherhood with the defensive line and that is a key for us.”

Hall of Fame all-around: Offensive line coach Mike Munchak was impressed with former Steelers guard Alan Faneca when he scouted him coming out of college, and after having Faneca work with the coaching staff since OTAs, he is even further impressed.

Munchak, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is among those who believe Faneca, who was a finalist last year, should be in the Hall of Fame.

“When I looked at him in college, I knew he was special,” said Munchak. “When the Steelers drafted him I knew they got someone special. You keep an eye on guys like that who you watched. We played the Steelers and I watched him play. He fit into this mentality, the offense here. He could do it all. He was tough, mean, a big finish guy. He got better year after year. He did that for a long time. I liked his demeanor. It was like the great ones who played the game. His effort, his finish, he could pull. He could do all of those things. He was a great fit and had a great career. He went to Pro Bowls, All Pros and it was obvious he was one of the best at his position.

“To talk to him now and see his passion for the game, it’s fun for me to learn some things from him, how he approached the game. He was pat of the tradition in Pittsburgh and had a lot of success and knew how to get the job done on Sunday.”

No place like home: Linebacker Ryan Shazier is pumped for Thursday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Heinz Field, because as he said anytime you get to play in front of Steelers Nation it’s a great thing.

“There is no place like home,” said Shazier. “The fans are there every game giving everything they’ve got just like we are. We wouldn’t be able to play as well without them having our backs. It’s amazing having other teams come into the stadium and make them uncomfortable.”

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/This--That-Its-just-football/1126ab50-bd08-4f1b-ae52-36d15b100d7a

[RuthlessBurgher]

Tomlin on leadership, guys switching positions
Posted 28 minutes ago


Bob Labriola
Steelers.com

Coach Mike Tomlin addressed a variety of issues as training camp ended.

Q. When weather hit the Saint Vincent College campus during training camp, or when there was a threat of weather hitting campus, how did you decide the course of action? Stick it out on the field, or into the gym there on campus, or pack up and move to another location?

A. We gather as much information as we can gather from the so-called experts, but most weathermen are firmly positioned on the fence. So at the 11th hour we usually go with our gut. John Mitchell, my assistant head coach, has been at Saint Vincent for 23 years now, and so usually he and I will stand in the middle of the field and he’ll look at the sky over Rooney Hall and give me his take on whether or not we can get the practice in. Then we go from there.

Q. You are willing to hold practice in the elements. There can be injuries, the wet ball. How do you decide how much weather is too much weather in terms of getting the work done?

A. I’m allergic to lightning; everything else I deal with. Because that’s how our game is played. All of those other things could occur in a stadium, and if I run away from that then I’m not doing my due diligence in terms of preparing the group. Often I welcome some of the issues associated with weather. At this time of the year it could be rain, in the latter part of the year it could be cold or snow. Those elements play a part in the outcomes of football games, so I embrace opportunities to prepare within those conditions. It’s a great evaluation tool to see who can handle and protect the ball in less than ideal circumstances, as one example. There are a lot of questions about situations that you don’t get to answer until you’re in them, so I’m always hopeful that we get a number of these types of days that we have to navigate because it reveals things and tells us things about the members of our team.

Q. Who on your staff is your go-to weatherman?

A. In recent years, with all of the hand-held devices and Doppler radar, everybody thinks they’re weathermen. Garrett Giemont, our strength coach, is our official go-to guy, but everybody with an opinion usually pulls out an iPhone and wants to tell me their prognosis for the weather.

Q. Your time at Saint Vincent this summer is over, and even though you always say a training camp is judged by the team’s results that season, do you have some sense whether or not the work got done?

A. I feel really good about the work that was done. I feel very good about the informal work and the informal moments of team development that occurred up there. This is a legitimately close group, and some of the things you gain by going away to a site like Saint Vincent create an environment for that to take place. I feel that has taken place in a big way, and over the course of a season we’ll see the potential benefits of that. That could be called upon at some time to get us out of a stadium.

Q. In talking to the media about the preseason opener, you said there were some good things that happened in the game. When reviewing the video with the team, is it more important to point out the good things, or focus on the things that need to be improved?

A. I really just focus on truth. If you do that, there’s enough sugar and enough of the other stuff to give the group and the individuals within the group what they need to move forward. That’s what the evaluation of the video is about – to learn, to set the stage for getting better as we prepare for our next opportunity. I just focus on truth, what’s on the video, and there’s usually enough positive and negative in that to suffice whatever anyone might need.

Q. You have often said you see your job as giving the players what they need. Do you have a feel yet for what the young players need, the sugar or the stick?

A. Over time it’s revealed to me. I don’t know that it’s something I actively seek. I think it’s more important that they figure out what we’re after, and what they need to do to accommodate us in terms of seeing what we need to see from them. Over time, if they do that and do that consistently, what they need is revealed to us.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Q. Getting back to the weather. It used to be that coaches loved heat and humidity as a way to get players in top shape, but is that less important now based on the level of conditioning these guys have when they come to camp?

A. It may be big picture less of an issue, but it’s still very significant. It just aids in the team development process. There’s anxiety associated with these practice settings that aren’t a part of conditioning and preparation. That anxiety burns fuel differently. Heat and humidity reveals people with anxiety issues that might cause fatigue to set in on them quicker than with others. There are a lot of useful applications for less-than-ideal weather conditions, and I’m always ready to deal with and see those.

Q. One of the annual team-bonding exercises at Saint Vincent is the home-run derby, which was held after practice on Monday. Do you have any Bo Jacksons on your roster, meaning football players who can swing a bat?

A. Sammie Coates was much better than the rest of them. I say that after acknowledging that Ben didn’t participate, and usually whatever Ben participates in, he wins. He is the defending champion, and he decided to turn it over to the rest of the field and see what they were capable of. Sammie Coates really distinguished himself from the rest. He was the only guy out there with any kind of baseball potential whatsoever.

Q. A couple of current examples are Terrelle Pryor in Cleveland and Rosie Nix here. I’m talking about guys switching positions to play at the NFL level. Why is that such a rare occurrence in the NFL, because these guys usually are exceptional athletes in the first place?

A. In general in today’s era of sport, there is such an emphasis on specialization. People specialize and they make commitments to games, to sports, to positions within those games at such a young age that there’s a natural resistance to change. Guys who view themselves as football players first are usually more open and receptive to trying new things, and they aid themselves and increase their chances of making it because they have an attitude that’s geared toward trying other things.

Rosie Nix is an example of that for us. A little over a year ago I mentioned to him about playing fullback, because the lines were long at linebacker, we had unique depth at inside linebacker. I said, you give yourself a better chance of making our football team if you potentially explore fullback. He didn’t bat an eye, and his attitude largely dictated the course of events that occurred after. It has allowed him to improve with each passing day, and it has allowed him to be the above-the-line fullback that he has become.

Q. As a coach, do you have time to wait for a guy to transition from quarterback to receiver, or linebacker to fullback?

A. It depends on how you identify the beginning or the potential end of the transition. None of us are finished products. We’re continually working and improving. But if I think a guy has an aptitude for the change, you see signs of that aptitude very quickly. We saw signs in Rosie Nix very quickly, that he had some things, traits that would lend itself to the position. Then you go about developing consistency in terms of technique, and the understanding of the nuances that go into the position. He’ll spend the rest of his career ironing out some of those things, but the core significant things that define the position, that are going to allow him to be a guy at that position, you see often and you see early on in the transition process. And if you don’t, you move on.

Q. What’s the difference in your mind between what you have referred to as position flexibility and what is happening with Pryor and Nix, what happened some years ago with Antwaan Randle El?

A. Really there is none. It’s about what the team needs. If you’re position flexible and the team need you to be position flexible, then great. If the team needs you to move wholesale to another position, a position flexible guy is capable of that. In some instances it just might be – in the case of Chris Hubbard – playing center, guard, and tackle; in some instances it might be like Rosie Nix moving from linebacker to fullback permanently. Really, it’s just based on the needs of the team whether it’s a wholesale positional change, or whether it’s a guy just displaying position flexibility.

Q. When you came to the Steelers 10 years ago, one of the go-to leaders in the locker room was James Farrior. What made him so special in that way? Is there any James Farrior in Will Gay?

A. James wore leadership very naturally. It’s something that he was, and not something he became. It was not something that he consciously worked on. He was just a thoughtful, caring dude who really took pride in helping the young player, and he was a good teammate. All of those things can be used to describe Will Gay. The way he leads and how he leads is a very natural thing for him. I think he just does it. I don’t know that he consciously makes a decision to do it, and those are your best leaders.

Q. Is Gay a unique guy in that respect?

A. He is. He’s capable of removing himself from his helmet and seeing issues as they relate to other people. He can remember when he was in the position that some of these young people are in now, and it does take special traits to remove yourself from your present state and your present issues and see things from other peoples’ perspectives to aid them in their journey while you’re still navigating yours.

Q. As the head coach, can you take advantage of those kinds of guys, and how can they help you?

A. I take advantage of those guys daily. And you need to. If we’re going to be the type of team we need to be and grow in the ways we need to grow, then we’re going to need every capable man to help others. I have many formal and informal conversations with guys who lead, whether it’s Will Gay or Maurkice Pouncey or DeAngelo Williams or any of the other guys you can identify as stable leaders for us. We’re going to need their contributions formally and informally, on the grass and off the grass, as we grow and develop as a world championship caliber group.

Q. Do your expectations for individuals and the team as a whole change the deeper you get into a preseason? Is it different tonight than it was last week? Will it be different next week than it is tonight?

A. My expectations about people evolve, but my expectations or my vision of the group remains unchanged. I’m somewhat uncompromising in terms of what we need to be, and our goal is to be world champs. We have to push forward toward that daily. There’s very little compromise in my mentality in regards to that. Now, who does what, and how we navigate that journey, that is shaped daily by what transpires around me. How they perform, how they ascend, how they descend, and the decisions I make in regards to those things or in reaction to those things ultimately determine maybe how smooth or how rocky this process of developing into a world championship outfit is.

Q. Now that camp is over, what do you like about the group you brought back to Pittsburgh?

A. It’s a highly conditioned group. They do a good job of communicating. They appear to have the makings of a group that’s legitimately close, and by legitimately close I mean it’s beyond spending time together being friends. It’s about challenging one another, telling each other the truth, being accountable to one another. I saw many positive signs of that development, and that’s as critical a part of our team development as becoming good fundamental tacklers and protectors of the ball on offense or any of the other things that are central to team development.

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Tomlin-on-leadership-guys-switching-positions/3f0bf2d6-ae56-44ce-a8ff-46af0f71a6d7