Steelers Training Camp Traditions Take Center Stage

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To reduce the stress and the emotional, physical toll of training camp, several Steelers will make their best attempt to lighten the mood in their own unique way. Steelers sophomore running back Najee Harris arrived for the start of training camp this year in a tricked-out ATV, which admittedly projects better optics than arriving in a helicopter (see Brown, Antonio).

In years passed, James Harrison arrived in a smart car, intent on doing his part to limit carbon emissions, even if it meant getting stuck in his car. One year, former defensive tackle Steve McLendon packed a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pillow along with his belongings to “summer camp.” And Vince Williams gave a nod to his favorite wrestlers of yore by dressing as and imitating ”Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

The fun doesn’t just stop at the St. Vincent gates, however. On the field, one may spot the occasional prank being pulled on team rookies and veterans alike. I recall in 2009 one Hines Ward locking James Harrison in the sideline porta-potty. And Big Ben was always fond of competing with his backups in a makeshift game of “throw the football into the trash can,” a game so lop-sided in Ben’s favor that it might as well have been rigged. Such games bring out a chuckle from the crowd and further enforce a lighthearted atmosphere. After all, football is just a game - a game with millions of dollars at stake.

With that in mind, most everyone’s fighting for a roster spot, a contract, or at least fighting to prove something to themselves and the coaches. Needless to say, the repetitive nature of slamming yourself into your teammate day in, day out can bring about some anger and frustration. This often boils over into brief fights and punches thrown, to which teammates and coaches intercede and break up the conflict. “Two dogs, one bone,” Mike Tomlin says, and this competitive edge the head coach instills within his players pays off. Most of the time, Tomlin’s ire is directed at a player’s lack of execution and a lack of focus on the details, not the occasional fight.

“Huddle the (expletive deleted) up!”

This censor-worthy phrase could be heard ringing from the field one year as Tomlin expressed his own displeasure at backup QB Bruce Gradkowski for not managing his huddle effectively. Unfortunately, the expletive was not covered or muffled by the sound of a horn blaring between sessions.

Every minute counts in training camp. Every pass and every fumble has consequences. If you’re Rashard Mendenhall, repeated fumbles in-game means carrying a football around St. Vincent, protecting it will all your might from being batted out of your hands, or else pay out $100. And while the aforementioned football diehards may read too much into training camp and preseason stat sheets, there’s precious little info to glean before real games start. It truly is a natural reaction for the football-deprived. For instance, if Mason Rudolph looks to be the best option at starter this year, as he largely has throughout minicamp and the first days of training camp, it’s to be taken with a grain of salt. If Kenny Pickett looks to have been a luxury pick with other glaring needs along the trenches, then look for him to light it up throughout preseason action.

Through the years, one thing has been proven true: you can never take training camp for granted. The same can be said of the players, whose futures and performances in-game can never be guaranteed. It’s exemplified in the players who practice under that pressure. It’s the pressure of being claimed as Chuck Noll’s first-ever draft pick out of Texas A&I, under the scrutiny of headlines proclaiming “Joe Who?” It’s about working to become the greatest Steeler of all time. It’s about flashing speed, athleticism and playmaking ability, and leaving it all out on the field. And even if you can’t play anymore, you can still walk the hallowed grass of Latrobe, as Ryan Shazier did less than a year after his career-ending injury.

Generations of great football have come and gone through St. Vincent and every year there have been two constants: the Rooneys and the fans. A year before his passing, Dan Rooney was captured on photo, hunched over, patting the looming figure of his franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger on the back as if to say, “good work.” It’s a testament to a family-first atmosphere that has been nurtured and passed on, from coach to coach, player to player. Now, with a new era in a Pittsburgh set to begin, with a new starting quarterback for the first time in nearly twenty years and much to prove, the Steelers enter training camp looking to put in the work, embrace the day-to-day grind and hopefully, remember to “huddle the (expletive deleted) up.”