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Steelers' rookie tries to overcome obstacle
By Scott Brown
Mike Tomlin knows a thing or two about motivating players.
So it probably shouldn't come as any surprise that the Steelers coach regularly tells rookie center A.Q. Shipley, "Man, those arms are looking short."
The length of Shipley's arms is a big reason why 225 players were selected before the Moon Area High School graduate in April. And Tomlin's daily reminders of that supposed shortcoming are his way of telling Shipley to stiff-arm the doubters.
"He tells me he's going to tell me that every day until I make this team," Shipley said after an offseason practice at the Steelers' South Side facility, "because he doesn't care how long my arms are, which is awesome."
While his arm span is a little under 30 inches — considered short for an NFL offensive linemen — a spot on the Steelers' 53-man roster is not out of his reach.
Justin Hartwig appears entrenched as the starter at center. But the eighth-year veteran is entering the final year of his contract, and the Steelers may need a successor sooner rather than later.
It is too early to tell whether Shipley is the Steelers' center of the future, but he has been among the first-year players who have pleasantly surprised offensive coordinator Bruce Arians during offseason practices.
"I'm pleased with all of the rookies on offense," Arians said, "Every single one is showing progress and possibilities. This is a hard team to make. (But) I wouldn't count out any of them making our team."
It's not wise to count Shipley out.
Despite hearing questions about his size since he started playing football, the Coraopolis native blossomed into a premier center at Penn State.
A three-year starter in college, Shipley won the 2008 Rimington Trophy, which is given to the top center in the country, and anchored the best offensive line in the Big Ten.
The 6-1, 305-pounder excelled at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, ranking among the top offensive linemen in the 225-pound bench press, several speed drills and vertical leap. He also scored a 40 out of 50 on the Wonderlic aptitude test.
Yet, his slide on the second day of the draft made it clear that teams were more concerned about other measurables — namely, Shipley's height and the length of his arms.
By way of comparison, centers Alex Mack and Eric Wood — both drafted in the first round this year — have arms measured at 33 inches.
Shipley, selected in the seventh round, may have emerged from the draft with a bruised ego. But his feelings were soothed by the fact that he was drafted by his hometown team.
"I've worked my whole life to play in the NFL, and to get picked up by the team I fell in love with is almost surreal at times," Shipley said. "But now it's a business. I have to make the team and show them I can play here."
One thing that will help Shipley in his quest to do that is the edge with which he plays. It is a product of all of those questions he has heard about what he supposedly doesn't have or can't do.
"I think I'll have that chip on my shoulder the rest of my life," Shipley said. "I've been out to prove (critics) wrong, one for myself, two for my family and three just to prove everyone wrong."
Steelers' rookie tries to overcome obstacle
By Scott Brown
Mike Tomlin knows a thing or two about motivating players.
So it probably shouldn't come as any surprise that the Steelers coach regularly tells rookie center A.Q. Shipley, "Man, those arms are looking short."
The length of Shipley's arms is a big reason why 225 players were selected before the Moon Area High School graduate in April. And Tomlin's daily reminders of that supposed shortcoming are his way of telling Shipley to stiff-arm the doubters.
"He tells me he's going to tell me that every day until I make this team," Shipley said after an offseason practice at the Steelers' South Side facility, "because he doesn't care how long my arms are, which is awesome."
While his arm span is a little under 30 inches — considered short for an NFL offensive linemen — a spot on the Steelers' 53-man roster is not out of his reach.
Justin Hartwig appears entrenched as the starter at center. But the eighth-year veteran is entering the final year of his contract, and the Steelers may need a successor sooner rather than later.
It is too early to tell whether Shipley is the Steelers' center of the future, but he has been among the first-year players who have pleasantly surprised offensive coordinator Bruce Arians during offseason practices.
"I'm pleased with all of the rookies on offense," Arians said, "Every single one is showing progress and possibilities. This is a hard team to make. (But) I wouldn't count out any of them making our team."
It's not wise to count Shipley out.
Despite hearing questions about his size since he started playing football, the Coraopolis native blossomed into a premier center at Penn State.
A three-year starter in college, Shipley won the 2008 Rimington Trophy, which is given to the top center in the country, and anchored the best offensive line in the Big Ten.
The 6-1, 305-pounder excelled at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, ranking among the top offensive linemen in the 225-pound bench press, several speed drills and vertical leap. He also scored a 40 out of 50 on the Wonderlic aptitude test.
Yet, his slide on the second day of the draft made it clear that teams were more concerned about other measurables — namely, Shipley's height and the length of his arms.
By way of comparison, centers Alex Mack and Eric Wood — both drafted in the first round this year — have arms measured at 33 inches.
Shipley, selected in the seventh round, may have emerged from the draft with a bruised ego. But his feelings were soothed by the fact that he was drafted by his hometown team.
"I've worked my whole life to play in the NFL, and to get picked up by the team I fell in love with is almost surreal at times," Shipley said. "But now it's a business. I have to make the team and show them I can play here."
One thing that will help Shipley in his quest to do that is the edge with which he plays. It is a product of all of those questions he has heard about what he supposedly doesn't have or can't do.
"I think I'll have that chip on my shoulder the rest of my life," Shipley said. "I've been out to prove (critics) wrong, one for myself, two for my family and three just to prove everyone wrong."
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