July 28, 2024 • 46 mins
Labs and Tom break down the 2024 Hall of Honor class, hear from Mike Tomlin and Justin Fields, and break down Day 3 of Steelers practice at Camp.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
VC's the Training Camp Report with Tom Opperman and Bob
Labriola on Steeler's Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
So much fun had at camp yesterday, Labs. It was
the NFL's Return to Football initiative. The Hall of Honor
class was announced. Hey, there was even a Steelers practice,
and even though Russell Wilson wasn't running with the ones
or participating with the team, he was starting to ease
himself back into things. So we got plenty on our
plate to talk about here today on our Training Camp Report.
But I think it's only natural that we start with
(00:37):
the thing that you had a big hand in, and
that's the selection of the newest Hall of Honor class
Dick Lebo, Jason Gilden, Casey Hampton, and Willie Parker. And
I just want to say, Labs, I think this is
the first class of a Hall of Honor that I
remember all four participating in my life.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
So it's really nice of you to do me that
favor this time.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Well, during the selection meetings is one of the points
I brought. Yeah, well I emphasized it the most I
will say that, but uh, yeah, you know, the NFL
has been doing these you know, return to Football. They
branded different things. This This year's was back Together weekend
(01:19):
and it's always you know, the weekend before the Hall
of Fame game, which is coming up Thursday this coming week.
And you know, the Steelers, uh, their their contribution. I
guess a decision was made because you know, we're still
(01:40):
not in pads out here. Okay, so.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Tuesday is the first padded practice.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
Yeah, will not be right, This will be the last.
This is the last acclamation day, yay uh. But so
really the second came up with the idea of having
the Hall of Honor class announcement be held up here.
It's at the Rogers Center on campus, and you know,
(02:06):
it gives the fans another reason to come on the
first weekend, first full weekend of training camp for the
Steelers here at Saint Vincent College. And you know, everything
kind of worked out well this year in terms of
the timing. The announcement was made at one o'clock. Practice
didn't start till one fifty five, and you know, it
(02:32):
always turns out to be a nice little I don't know,
I guess an alumni gathering. You know, Jason Gilden was
a practice Aaron Smith who was inducted in the Hall
of honor last year, he was at practice. Both of
them brought some of their members of their family. Charlie
Batch was here. You know, he's obviously part of the
(02:55):
preseason telecast preseason game telecast on Katie Ka, so you know,
he's doing some due diligence, trying to familiarize himself with
the team, so you know, and those guys were out
in the field and interacting with you know, different people.
I mean, it's just it's just a nice kind of thing. Yeah,
(03:17):
it because truly, you know, I don't I'll just I'll
just whisper this to you. We'll just keep it between
the Yeah, Okay, I'm about I'm about done with acclamation period.
I've watched enough OTAs, I've watched enough mini camp. I
understand that it's necessary, but you know, okay, that's enough.
(03:42):
Let's let's if if we have to do this, let's
let's make it as close to real football as as
humanly possible.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
I think.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Before it's like where are that mouse that's always chasing
a piece of cheese that's moving during this training camp period,
it's like, great football's back, but now they don't have
pads on, and then pads will come on, and it's like,
I kind of want to see them hit another team.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
When's that Houston Texans game?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
And then the Texans game and the Bill's game will
go by, and we're like, can these.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Games start counting?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Now?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
It's just always to the God get us to September.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
Well, you know, don't wish the rest of the summer away.
But I'm with you. I understand what you mean on
that it is. But right now we are at the
can we please put the pads on stage for me?
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Those will come out on Tuesday, one last day of
acclamation today. Sticking with the Hall of Honor though for
a little bit, and just talking about the guys in
this class, obviously, all four of them more than deserving. Lebau,
Jason Gilden, Casey Hampton, Willie Parker, massive moments in a
Steelers uniform, all pro teams made Jason Gilden in two
thousand and one, Dick Lebou considered one of the greatest
(04:50):
coordinator coaches of all time, and he was a pretty
damn good player himself, by the way. I mean, just
the accolades, the memories, it's a perfect class.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
Yeah, you know, well, and again I kind of think
that all of them all, each class has a lot
of its own unique aspects that make it special. I mean,
these are all of these guys. I mean, and I
understand that some of the younger fans, newer fans might
(05:21):
not recognize when we dip into the wayback machine and
you know, honor some of those guys from yesteryear. But
as Dan Rooney always said, you know, they didn't invent
this game in nineteen seventy and so, and you know it.
I don't know. I like history, and I think it's
(05:45):
important for people to try and understand the things that
happened and the people who made them happen to make
the league what it is today. You know, there was
a time when professional football was not a glamorous business.
You know, the Steelers and I will get questions, you know,
who's the worst Steelers draft pick of all time? I mean,
(06:08):
you know, the Steelers have been involved in every NFL
draft ever held. And think about that. I mean, that's
you know, it's kind of cool. And as I mentioned,
you know, there were there were long periods where professional
football is not a glamorous business. The Steelers' first number
one pick in franchise history took a job as a
(06:29):
salesman instead. I mean he was like, I don't want
to do that. I can't make any money doing that.
So there were there's a lot of things like that,
pieces of history like that that I believe are worth remembering.
And in the Hall of Honor and the Hall of
Honor Museum. I think the intent Art Rooney's intent for
(06:54):
this whole package kind of thing was to entertain as
well as inform uh fans, So you know, it's worth going.
It's worth taking a trip and visiting the museum which
is in Akasher Stadium, or you know, you can follow
along with some of this stuff on the website, or
you know, listen to me ramble on and on about
(07:14):
it if you'd prefer to do it that way. But
I think all of the classes were special in different ways,
and there's always someone that fans believe to be the
crown jewel of a particular class. To try and put
a phrase on it, but as you mentioned, I mean
(07:35):
all of these.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Guys between these four for sure, to make one above
the rest.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Well, I mean this is what I would say, this
is what I would think people will think. Lebau.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah, and I bet you I bet you Jason and
Casey would that way as well.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
Yeah, as well as you know a lot of the
other guys, uh, you know who are in or who
are from that era. You know, one of the things
that really, I don't know, kind of crystallized it for me.
You know, at last year's induction dinner, Okay, Aaron Smith
(08:17):
James Harrison were two of the inductees, and so de
Lebau attended the dinner, and just the way that those
two players and then you know, there's a lot of
other players who come to those things, you know, uh,
(08:37):
the way they acted with him, it really I mean,
you know, you and I was part I worked for
the team. I won't say I was part of it,
but I worked for the team throughout the Lebaux era
and with the Steelers, and you know, you have talked
I have talked to players who who relate stories of
(08:58):
you know, what a good man he is and what
a great coach he is, and you know, you hear
all of those stories and sometimes they throw in anecdotes
as well, but to actually see the interactions between them
and the genuine affection and respect that they still have,
(09:20):
you know, I mean, this is it can be for
a lot of these guys decades, a couple of decades,
and so yeah, it really kind of hit home to
me the respect and admiration these players have for him.
And you know, Art Rooney the second even said yesterday that,
(09:42):
you know, the addition of Lebaux, you know, it is
kind of different to go with the guy who was
strictly an assistant coach. It was never a player here.
His Hall of Fame gold jacket and Hall of Fame
bust was accumulated through what he did for the Detroit Lions.
(10:05):
I mean, Dick Leabou is not in Candon, Ohio for
as a coach. It may have helped him in terms of,
you know, putting him back in the spotlight, in terms
of the Hall of Honor excuse me, Hall of Fame
Board of Selectors. You know, kind of got his name
out there again. But Dick Lebou had sixty two interceptions, right,
(10:31):
I mean, that's a pretty big number. Look at the
you know, he's still up there. And that's the thing
about Lebau.
Speaker 5 (10:37):
He was.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
He was very competitive, a very good athlete. And I'll
warn people out there even to this day, if you
run into Dick lebow on a golf course and he says,
you want to play around, we can bet a couple
of bucks. Don't do it, we will pick you clean.
(11:02):
Dick Coke told me a long time ago, a kind
of during Lebau's first tenure with the Steelers, which was
ninety two through ninety six, he said to me, because
Dick co could play a little golf too, he said,
Lebou could make a living on the PGA Senior Tour. Wow,
(11:24):
that's how good he is. And yeah, like I said,
he was a he was a real competitor. I remember
when the Steelers hired Ken Wizenhunt, who was a pretty
good golfer as well, and they would they would go
offense defense. The coaching staff and I mean Lebo would
(11:46):
just torture them, just torture those guys. Uh.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
It is It is such a different level when you're
that good, Like, yeah, guys can be good, but when
you're good enough where someone's like this guy could be
playing against XPGA Tour golfers on the senior Tour and
they just blow pep make money.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Yeah, and make money. Yeah. And as I said, here's
another story. You know, in nineteen ninety three, that was
the year that Rod Woodson ended up being the defensive
player of the Year. So Woodson, I don't know, yeh
think he had like four interceptions in the first six
games or something. So it was a little It was
(12:22):
between meetings and practices at three rivers stadiums still, and
the defensive backs were in there, and you know, they're
all talking. A few of them are talking to Woodson
and you know, just celebrating his accomplishments to that point
in the season. How many interceptions he has? Blah blah
(12:42):
blah and thick lebows walking through the locker room and
he hears what they're talking about, and he says, hey,
how many you got, now, Rod? I meny interceptions Woodson
had in his career. I mean he had only started
in nineteen eighty. I'm trying to get this right. Eighty
seven I think Grady six. I can't it.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Only been like five or six years.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
Yeah, okay, And he gave his number twenty four whatever
it happened to be, and Lebau just kept walking by,
like glanced over at him and said, you know, forty
five more and you'll almost have as many as me.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Well, So Dick Lebou is still tenth all time on
the all time interceptions list, but unfortunately for him, Rod
did get him because he settled it nicely at number
three all time with his seventy one perceptions.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Yeah so, but that's again, I'm sure that Dick lebou
was one of the you know, people who congratulated him
on that, but he wasn't going to avoid sticking the
needle in when when he still had the upper hand.
I mean, that's what competitors do well.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
The Steelers will welcome the twenty twenty four Hall of
Honor class on Sunday, December eighth against the Cleveland Browns.
It will include an on field presentation during halftime of
the game. So December eighth, if you want to be
involved in the Hall of Honor, you want to try
to find your way into the stadium. I would do
it now and try to get tickets to that Browns game.
It'll be a fun game. We'll beat the Browns and
(14:07):
we'll induct four legends into our Hall of Honor. There
was practice yesterday before labs and eye blow hot air
about what we think went on. Let's hear from the coach,
the guy who knows a little bit more than you
and I his media session as he always does following practice.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Let's listen and how it went.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
Man, with a great weekend out here, Man, it's just
awesome to fill our fans. Getting back to football is
a beautiful thing, and their presence is a component of it.
We just appreciate this atmosphere. It's a great atmosphere to
work in and get better and compete, particularly for the
new stealers. Man, not only the guys that are transitioning
to professional ball, but we had a lot of veteran
(14:45):
guys that are new to us and this is their
first exposure to the type of support that he is
still a nation, and so be remiss if I didn't
acknowledge that.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
Man.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
We just had a beautiful day to day from a
health standpoint, starting to work Russ back. Man, he got
some individual work. We'll can cotinue to do the same again.
It's me I'm pursueding with extreme caution, man, because we're
afforded that this time of year, and particularly because I'm
just getting to know him, and so when you don't
have a back background or relationship with somebody, Man, when
(15:14):
you're in my position, is just pruding. When given an
opportunity to kind of be a little bit cautious to
make sure a small problem doesn't become a big one.
Rodney Williams fell on his shoulder. Looks like an ac joint.
Usually those are characterized as a number of a number
of days. But we'll get that definitive here and maybe
I have a little bit more information in the next
couple of days or so. The rest are just kind
(15:35):
of bumps and bruises associated with play. Maybe some fatigue
as we get acclimated and getting football conditioning. Nothing that's
gonna slowly train down. I'll pause it and open up
for questions.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
What about Isaac, You can set out for anything with that. Yeah,
that's just maintenance. You know.
Speaker 6 (15:51):
We started rotating our veteran off days and an effort
to preserve but also to get exposure to young people.
It's twofold. You'll see Cam and TJ and others who've
been at it a while and are familiar with this
environment get some days off, and it's about preserving them,
giving them what they need to be ready and quite frankly,
(16:11):
sometimes experienced guys need less than others, but also providing
an opportunity for the for the young guys to get
additional reps and elevated reps against more experienced competition. In
some instances, Tencher Anderson's.
Speaker 7 (16:24):
Took a damage act by couple reps in person, taking
team postparts.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
What's he kind of shown you in You know, he
hadn't shown me a lot yet because it's early in
the process and we're still football in helmets. But he's
an example of what I'm talking about. We expect some
growth from him being a second year guy, and so
Isaac having a day off allows him to work on
his skills and display his skills.
Speaker 7 (16:46):
What do you expect from a guy like George's third
year and just has on the offensive?
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Pretty sure? You know, I think that's why we're here.
Speaker 6 (16:51):
I think we're all carving out our roles and developing
our roles. Specifically obviously from a George's perspective, he's got
some unique talent and we just want that to show
up extremely consistently.
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Hey, Hey, you guys honored Jason Gilbrew today. Just your
thoughts on them as a player. Maybe the history of
this that position in this team. Is there a through
line there, some kind of connection While how so many suits.
Speaker 6 (17:13):
I don't want to misrepresent the relationship. I didn't coach Jason,
but obviously outside linebacker in Pittsburgh, it's what makes Pittsburgh Blitzburg.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
It's generational.
Speaker 6 (17:25):
Young and new outside linebackers understand uh the men that
come before them and the standards that have been set.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
And it's a unique fraternity.
Speaker 6 (17:33):
It's a beautiful thing to have guys like Jason Gilden
come out here or Lamar Woodley last year and watch
Lamar Woodley develop relationship with Alex Highsmith, a guy who's
jersey number he's been wearing. It's just a unique thing
to have continuity in that way and legacy and standard bearers.
Speaker 7 (17:50):
Can you speak to you gyp the bow and you
thinking that there as well.
Speaker 8 (17:53):
Somebody who you've worked with.
Speaker 6 (17:55):
What makes him special and unique? And still that's the man.
We won't have enough time to talk about. What makes
Dick Lebouh special. He's a special coach, he's a special strategist,
he's a special leader, he's a special communicator, he's thoughtful,
he's good with people. The list goes on and on.
Man obviously deserving of the honor. Jal and Warren's already
(18:17):
said he's worm, but he's conditioning a lot of officers,
and he said something that you've already kind of seen.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Play dividends here what your expectation is doing.
Speaker 5 (18:22):
You know, i'd be reaching.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
I think conditioning and things of that nature get revealed
the more we keep working and they have to put
consecutive days together. But obviously, just by the looks of him,
he's done some nice work.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Childn's been out there with the kickoff return guys as
he has.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
In the past.
Speaker 7 (18:38):
Is the new rule make it a little bit more
viable to use someone who's a big part of your
offense in that rule in that role?
Speaker 6 (18:43):
You know, you know, we got all cards on the
table in regards to that. I think we're all stepping
into somewhat uncharted territory, and so it's probably prudent to
cast a big net in terms of personnel, whether we're
talking about return people or or blockers or covers people,
just casting a big net, and I think that's appropriate.
Speaker 9 (19:03):
Mike in general, and the kick off wol obviously a
great person insight into the formulation.
Speaker 7 (19:07):
Of the rule with the competitive part of it. As
you said, do you feel like you have a handle
mail of the things you're gonna try to do with
things that will be done to you.
Speaker 6 (19:14):
I think anybody that's saying they got to handle on
it is probably lying or or you know, naive. Man,
there's no video. All we have is words on the page.
I think that's a component of it that makes it exciting.
There's gonna be some anxiety among my peers regarding these concepts, man,
until we get some video on it. I'd imagine there's
(19:35):
a lot of guys in my position gonna be watching
a Hall of Fame game to see what some of
it looks like. I'll be looking at the EA Sports
game when it comes out, man, to see what it
looks like. It's just uncharted territory, and so you pay
respect to the unknown with preparedness and anxiety.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
At times, there's only so much you engaged before you
put the pods on. But have you seen the light
go on in any way from the Marvin Leal coming
in year free exactly what you said.
Speaker 6 (20:00):
You cannot gauge a whole lot, particularly as it pertains
the defensive bigs until they're carrying their paths about.
Speaker 5 (20:06):
Like work ethic or conditioning or anything like that.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
I don't know that work ethic and conditioning has ever
been an issue for him developing skill and maturity. And
remember he was a young guy, third year junior when
we drafted him, and so he's gotten continually better and
we is reasonable for us to expect that to continue.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Coach Mike Tomlin with the media following practice yesterday lives.
I gotta be honest, I don't know if I believe
him when he says he's going to be checking the
EA game. I don't know if coach Mike Tomlin is
a Madden Football kind of pluck guy. But I do
understand what he's saying about kind of the anxiety that
he has about this amongst his peers and needing to
see it on film, needing to see some evidence of
(20:47):
it to start to feel more comfortable.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
And then also, I think the other.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Thing to touch upon about what he said there is
what everybody's worried about is Russell Wilson starting to ease
himself back in. But like Tomlin said, we're afforded the
opportunity to ease him back in because this is July
twenty eighth, not September twenty eighth.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
Yeah, and let me just start with the EA thing.
He is a football junkie. That's the word, the phrase
that he uses to describe himself. And I wouldn't. I
would say that Mike Thomas not the kind of guy
to sit and play the game just to play the game.
But he's trying to run some simulations of what kickoffs
(21:27):
might look like collecting yeah right, yeah, you never know.
Speaker 10 (21:34):
But but with Russ with Andrews, you know, he did
some no go, he did some individual work starting to
ease himself back into things, but obviously taking it.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
So then even Russ yesterday, remember when we played his audio,
he was asked if there's a game are you playing?
And he was like, oh, yeah, I'm playing, no doubt.
So I mean it's it's about time of year as
much as anything. Yeah it is.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
And I also think that, you know, Mike Tomlin is
enjoying you know, he says this all the time and
even referred to it in in this post practice briefing
as well. Again, it's more about the guys who then
get an opportunity to play and a chance to evaluate
(22:19):
them as well. You know, it's not like there's anybody
on that quarterback depth chart where he has a relationship
with at all, So any opportunity, you know, to get
those other guys some repetitions while also you know, not
being overly aggressive or you know, careless with Russell Wilson,
(22:44):
who is I don't know, I'm guessing thirty five in
that area, in his mid thirties. I'll say it that way.
You know, it's it's just I think it's good business
at this point, and because there's there's going to come
a time here, you know, not too long into the
future where you know, Russell Wilson is going to be
(23:05):
occupying a lot of the reps he's going to have
to because again, he's not like Ben. I mean, he
may be like Ben in terms of you know, a
career resume, that kind of thing, excuse me, that kind
of thing, but there's no again, there's no personal experience
with this guy either you know, as strictly on the
(23:30):
field professionally speaking, or what makes him tick. And so
that has to be developed, and it has to be
developed through time. And so right now still early, you know,
those of us who have acclamation period itis like himself.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
I would.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
I don't know this for sure, but my suspicion is
that the first day of pads as soon as this
that happened, the calf thing with Russell Wilson, I think
that was kind of unofficially targeted as his return date
because you know, let's not forget also that Russell Wilson
(24:14):
attended the entire offseason program. He was there for every ota,
you know, all of that kind of stuff. And there
were also some uh situations where he organized you know,
off campus for lack of a better phrase, a workouts
something in San Diego. Pat Fayerman talked about that. So
(24:36):
there have been examples and opportunities, you know, for Russell
Wilson to get to know or some of his teammates,
and like I said, you know, more mini camp practices.
You know, let's see what Justin Fields can do. Kyle
Allen is a guy who is going to be coming
(24:57):
up on the short end of the repetition stick here
real soon. But hey, the Steelers believe in keeping three quarterbacks.
If you're gonna keep three, you might as well have
a third who if you have to go to him,
he can maybe help you get out of a game,
win a game. Because we've we've seen it. We see
(25:18):
it happen all the time when you get into late
December and January. A game that you either won or
maybe lost in the first month of the season could
be very impactful when the final standings and seedings and
all that stuff are figured out.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
We'll get into Seven Shots, second edition of Seven Shots
and yesterday's practice, talk about who won, who got the
good meal, who had to eat the gruel and the
disgusting you know, oatmeal, talk about some guys that impressed
in that drill as well, and oatmeal, I do like oatmeal.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
And then Justin sorry, sorry, oatmeal, didn't mean to take
you out there.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
And then Justin Field spoke as well to Missy Matthews
and Craig Wilfley following practice. So we'll hear from phill
in QB one for the past three days of Steelers
training camp. It's all on the way on the Training
Camp Report with Labs and Tom on Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
This's no Training camp Report with Tom Opperman and Bob
Labriola on Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
The second installment of Seven Shots in the twenty twenty
four training camp was yesterday, Labs and a little bit
of a streak starting for the defense. They were victorious again,
but today was a little bit more one sided than
yesterday's even was.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
Yeah, the defense really had the upper hand from the beginning,
six to one in the defense's favor. And I don't know,
just as a less than experted observer, it seemed to
(26:51):
me that, you know, the defense, Cam Hayward batted one
ball down, but overall, I would say that the offense
failed more than the defense, you know, inflicked at its will,
if you know what I mean. I mean, there were
you know, there were a couple of plays it seemed
(27:13):
that and I don't know if this was on purpose
or just the way Justin Fields was seeing things unfold,
but there seemed to be you know, a couple three
attempts to Calvin Austin, the third in the end zone,
and you know, one of them was, you know, he's
running across the back of the end zone and if
(27:33):
you're going to run a guy back there, it would
help if he was taller. I'm not saying he has
to be six ' nine, but you know, Calvin Austin
is one of the shorter receivers on the roster, and
you know, just that kind of stuff, I don't know,
that didn't really make sense to me. But again, it's
(27:54):
early in camp. You're trying to work on things, fine things,
you know, I get all of it, but just specifically
talking about this specific seven shots again, it seemed like
to me the offense was failing more than the defense
was dominating.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
There were some players that you noted, specifically Roman Wilson
on the offensive side of the ball though that in
seven shots and in practice, you know, as much as
he can without pads being on.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
You know, raised an eyebrow, made you maybe want to
see him with.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
The pads on a little bit more, maybe, you know,
confirm that he could, you know, get through this acclamation
period and look like a professional and you're you're willing
to see what that next step looks like.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Yeah, I mean there's there's definitely obviously some jobs roles
available for the wide receivers on this roster, and there's
a lot of expectation or excitement, let me put it
that way about Roman Wilson when he was drafted and
what he might be able to contribute as a rookie
(29:04):
and how quickly he might be able to do that.
And I think he had a pretty good day yesterday
and maybe this is the start of something, because that's
the thing with rookies or you know, new young players
or just young players who have been around for a
year or two. One in a row. Anybody can do
it one in a row. You can have a good day,
(29:26):
everybody can have a good day, but can you put
them together? Can you stack them? You know what happens
the day after you have a good day, so you
know that'll be something to keep an eye on. But
you know, again, Roman Wilson, you know, had a nice day.
And let me throw out another defensive player I mentioned.
You know, Cam Hayward knocked the play down the Marvin
(29:48):
Leale blew up a attempted shovel pass Jonathan Ward. You know,
you know how they work, and the bat comes through
and flip them the ball and Leal was there instantly.
I mean, did a really nice job there. And he's
a guy that Mike tom referenced in his post practice briefing, right.
(30:15):
You know, he came to the Steelers as a third
year junior. I mean I think he was twenty years
old when the Steelers drafted him, So you know he's
young not only in terms of experience, but also chronologically
and bodies a lot of times need time to develop
(30:36):
because when the Marvin Leale was playing in the NFL
as a young twenties human being, he's going against real
men and grizzled men, and that can be sometimes unfair physically,
certainly with experience and savvy, definitely the the men have
(31:02):
an advantage. So, you know, we were you were talking
about guys that maybe you want to see something from
as when pads go on. Would I would put the
Marvin leel in that in that category on that list.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Yeah, and he's twenty four years old right now, and
in the current day of the NCAA with n AL
and players staying longer in COVID years still being a thing,
although that might be coming to an end finally this year.
You know, there's twenty four year old's playing in college
and he's twenty four entering his third year in the NFL.
So there is still a green grass in front of
(31:39):
Demarvin Leal. But I think it's undoubtedly considered a big
year for him to as Tomlin was noting, it was
never a conditioning thing or anything with him. It's about,
you know, skills starting to come to an NFL level.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
Yeah. I learned a long time ago that when it
comes time for the NFL team to make business decisions
on a player, you know, because the Marvin leel is
now getting close to second contract. Okay, so no, if
(32:13):
you're looking for a second contract in the NFL, all
of that potential stuff, that's that's history. You're gonna get
judged on. Now what have you shown? Because you don't
get to go into the negotiation for your second contract
and say, you know, in two or three more years,
I could be really good.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
I'm just trust me, bro.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
Yeah, because what the team will likely say is, well,
you can try and be really good somewhere else, because
we're gonna spend our money on something that we're a
little bit more sure of. So yeah, when you see guys,
you know, a lot of a lot was made of
did the Steelers with the Steelers exercise Naseie Harris's fifty
(32:59):
year old option? Okay, if you're a first round pick,
that's available. But if you're not a first round pick,
you're four years and you're done. That's it. You're also
an unrestricted free agent too, because the CBA rules now
drafted players wokie contracts for four years. So as soon
as those contracts are up, you're an unrestricted free agent
(33:22):
open for you know, bidding on open for bidding on
the open market. So you better have shown something because,
as I said, teams are starting to make business decisions
on guys when they reached that point in their career.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
Well, his unit didn't have success in seven shots, losing
six to one, but Justin Fields was kind enough to
catch up with Missy Matthews and Craig Wolfley following practice yesterday.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
So let's listen into what Fields had to say.
Speaker 9 (33:49):
Justin, what has this growing process been working with the
George Pickens, Pat Fryer Moose of the world for you?
Speaker 11 (33:55):
Yeah, I mean it's been great working with both of
those guys who have of course had a success over
the past, you know, a couple of years, and you know,
it's just been great getting reps with them. You know,
the more reps I can get it with them, the
more chemistry we build over time. So you know, it's
just been it's just been great, like I said, being
able to work with those guys on the field.
Speaker 8 (34:11):
Justin, is there any truth to the rumor that you
actually went up and kicked Russ in the calf to
tighten it up, you know, just get a little extra work.
Speaker 5 (34:18):
You know what I mean. I'm just saying I wouldn't
do that if I got.
Speaker 8 (34:24):
No But justin truly, let me ask you something. How
quarterback friendly is this offense? As it's unfolding day by
day for you, how do you feel about it?
Speaker 5 (34:32):
Yeah? I mean I feel great. You know.
Speaker 11 (34:33):
The great thing about Arthur is he communicates with us
a lot, you know, talk to us about what we like,
what we don't like. So you know it's a quarterback
friendly and you know he might like to play, but
if we don't like it, then he's not gonna call it.
So in terms of that stuff with you know, communicating
on what we like to run and stuff like that.
Of course you're not going to see that too much
in can't but uh, you know when the game comes
and you know, he's going to make sure that we're
comfortable with the players that are being caught. But you
(34:55):
know this, this offense has been great so far.
Speaker 9 (34:57):
Justin, you're a competitor, so you get it. Russell Wilson
hold us. You know, he hates not being out there,
but it is what it is. How has he helped
you being that he's taking the mental reps and he's
on the sideline.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
Yeah, I mean Russ.
Speaker 11 (35:09):
You know, he's a guy that's been in the league
for a very long time, so he's very you know, knowledgeable,
has a lot of wisdom under his belt. So it's
great just having him out there and really just hearing
his ideas in the meeting room and we'll run a
play and just the different concepts he comes up with
his mind or he might have ran in the past
with a couple of other different teams, So it's great
having him in the room being able to learn from him.
Speaker 5 (35:30):
So I'm excited about that part for sure.
Speaker 8 (35:32):
Justin you've spent some years in the league already obviously
got tremendous physical attributes. Now is a hacking the way
of the unessentials learning to throw the two ball, whatever
they got, you know, having a touch on things, or
you got to rocket ar him as it is. What's
been the most difficult thing for you to start to
you know, kind of kind of get rid of all.
Speaker 11 (35:51):
The hiccups in you know, I think, you know, we
have a lot of new guys on the team this year,
so I think you know that's the thing is not
such things difficulty, but you know, there's different terminology here,
so just getting used to that terminology, getting used to
our language, and really just getting on the same page
with guys. You know, we we get those looks in
practice where a route might be different versus a different coverage,
(36:13):
So you know, just getting those reps under our belt
and just just making sure we're in the same.
Speaker 5 (36:17):
Page with all the other guys.
Speaker 9 (36:18):
Justin they had the refs here today for the third
day of practice. Some offensive linemen pre snap penalties. I
think I saw some guys running a lap Roderick Jones,
Zach Frazier just to name a few. Is there something
going on with the offense and maybe some consequences if
things don't.
Speaker 5 (36:33):
Go as planned? Yeah, nah, for sure.
Speaker 11 (36:35):
We try to minimalize those pre snap penalties as much
as possible. Stuff that we can control. And you know,
when it comes to those things pre snap penalties like
false stars, you know, guys suffer, you know, things for
stuff like me, like motions and stuff like that. We
try to minimalize that as much as possible. So, you know,
at the end of the day, it sounds kind of
(36:55):
old fashioned, but you know, if you jump off side
or you have a little hiccup before the play, aviss
hearts and everyone has to run it no matter who
you are.
Speaker 9 (37:03):
So, yeah, is this coming down from Arthur Smith?
Speaker 11 (37:07):
I mean yeah, he said that this morning in the offensive.
Speaker 9 (37:11):
You to Meani, So the defense seems to like to
call it out.
Speaker 3 (37:14):
Is that fair?
Speaker 5 (37:15):
Yeah? I mean that's what they should do. That's what
they should do.
Speaker 11 (37:18):
You know, in the game, where an offensive line might
jump and you know the rest might see it, the
defense usually goes crazy to just put more attention on that.
So the defense is definitely doing the job when that happens,
for sure.
Speaker 8 (37:29):
All I can say justin is I'm glad it's happening now,
not back in the eighties, because there was a practice
I went three times, I jumped off size.
Speaker 5 (37:35):
I'd have to been a marathon runner for crying out
allowed to do that. Now.
Speaker 8 (37:39):
I got to ask you something. Tell me about your
experience in Pittsburgh so far. You see the fans throwing
it on the hillside day by day. What's it been
like for you? Have you been able to enjoy it
at all? And what's it like to be in this well,
you know, not everybody goes away.
Speaker 5 (37:52):
To training camp. So now you're going away to training camp.
How do you like it?
Speaker 11 (37:55):
Yeah, I mean so far in the first few days,
the atmosphere has been great. I can tell the fans
are really passing about football here, so it's just awesome
to see the turnout, especially on the weekend. I feel like,
you know, the weekends, you know, more fans might turn
out because of course they don't have to work and
stuff like that. So fans have been great, awesome supporting
our team while we practice. And you know, the destination
CHEP is, you know, my first doing it, my first
(38:16):
time doing it, and personally it is different, different experience
from me. But I really enjoy it because after meeting
and stuff like that, you really get to sit down
and spend time with their teammates, really get to know
them and kind of get another background story and really
just build team chemistry.
Speaker 5 (38:29):
Show. It's been awesome. It's been great, all.
Speaker 9 (38:30):
Right, justin We really appreciate your time. We're glad we
get a chance to know you a little bit more
as well. Thanks so much for joining us here.
Speaker 5 (38:36):
Yeah, I appreciate you, guys, appreciate you buy Thank you lads.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
It's always so cool when you guys come in and
they get asked in these first couple of days, how
you liking this whole Saint Vincent College experience, because it
just hammers home how unique it is to do this
in the NFL. A lot of guys like in Chicago
or russ and Seattle, like they're just going to their
facility that they usually go to every day during the
regular season to do training camp.
Speaker 4 (39:00):
Yeah, I mean my experience, he is at these destination
training camps and at this particular destination. You know, with
the exception of the two COVID years, this is what
training camp is. And so you know, sometimes you might
have a tendency to get numbed by it a little bit,
(39:21):
you know, because it's all you know, but when you
hear other people talking about it and see how the
new people react to it, it gives you a little
bit of a better understanding how special it really kind
of is.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Yeah, no doubt, and that's why the Steelers continue to
do it and have such a great relationship with Saint
Vincent to go up there and have this destination camp.
When we come back to wrap up the show, we
kind of got into this a little bit, but you know,
we're sick of the acclamation period.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
We want the pads to come on.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
But there are some guys in these past three practices
and today being the fourth one, that have turned your
head a little bit and have wanted you to see
what that next step with pads looks like. So throw
a couple names out there. We'll riff about that to
close things down today on the Training Camp Report on
Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
He sees the Training Camp Report with Tom Opferman and
Bob Labriola on Steeler's Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
Just one more day of acclamation to get through and
then the pads come on on Tuesday and you can
really start to make some judgments on some of these players.
But some guys that have already turned some heads without
the pads that have made you want to see those
pads even more so with them. We talked a little
bit about the Marvin Leal in the last segment. He's
(40:41):
one of them. But the guy I wanted to lead
off with in that category, Labs. We mentioned him, I
think on Friday Show. But inside linebacker Peyton Wilson. The
burst that you see from him is really eye popping.
It jumps off the screen and you know, to look
great in Jim shortz and a T shirt is hard
(41:02):
to do it in the NFL, and there's only a
certain amount of, you know, areas of the game that
you can look great in this setting.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
But he's he's done that. His burst is speed.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
Everything has looked great, and I want to see what
it looks like when it gets to the physicality part.
Speaker 4 (41:16):
Yeah. Absolutely, you know, he's certainly one of those names.
And just let me kind of go down what we're
going to what I think we're going to see on Tuesday.
There will be seven shots. But now when the quarterback
justin fields, Russell Wilson, Kyle Allen, whoever takes the snap,
there's a thread of a running play. Okay, so there's that.
(41:42):
We'll also see backs on backers. I'm sure, Mike, that's
a Mike Tomlin first day in pad Staple. Okay, So
you know last year, I remember one of the very
early pairings was rookie tight end Darnell Washington against that
guy who for some reason couldn't beat on Miles Garrett
(42:04):
for the Defensive Player of the Year award. What's his name,
Oh yeah, d J Watt. So there's that, and and
then there's also going to be and know what they
call it, but it's eleven on eleven full tackle football,
you know, because they do a period.
Speaker 5 (42:25):
I don't know what their name.
Speaker 4 (42:26):
Is, well, but I mean, well there's a there's a
name they put on the schedule. Technical name. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (42:33):
Yeah, uh.
Speaker 4 (42:34):
And so you're gonna see again, you know, backs on
backers is usually just certain positions. You'll see some tight ends,
You'll see some linebackers, some running backs, you know, those
those kind of people. But when they go eleven on eleven,
you want to see Troy Filetano. You want to see
(42:54):
Zach Frasier throwing up against like Larry Ogan, Jobi, maybe
some Zach Fraser against Keanu Benton. You know, there's gonna
be a lot of that kind of stuff too. So
you know, first day in pads, you know, and I'm hey,
I'm part of it. Get excited about backs on backers,
(43:16):
but there's there's some other competitive periods that are going
to test some of these guys, you know, with the
physical aspects of the sport, which now can be introduced
because everybody has pads on. So yeah, the Marvin Leale
certainly is a guy I want to see the rookie
(43:36):
offensive lineman both of them, File Tom and Zach Frasier. Uh,
you know Broderick Jones. You know, it's thought like he's
a second year player, but that's the second year is
when Mike Tomlin is looking for that big jump, you know,
because is he going to go in there and start
(43:58):
dominating people right from the start. I'm just going through
it in my head real quick, you know, And this
is this player I'm about to mention. I don't think
there's any concern or question about his ability to bring it.
But what's Patrick Queen's impact going to be. It's not
(44:21):
so much a going to be you know, can he
do it or not? But to what level will he
be doing it? One of the things one of the
things I'm interested in, you know. Craig Wolfley brought up
a good point the free agent rookie running back Dejon
Edwards from Georgia. He's been looking pretty good, you know,
(44:42):
running through has a nice burst and nice acceleration, but
nobody's tackling him. He had a decent career at Georgia
as a runner, but I don't know how much past
protection he has had to do or was asked to do.
So I'm gonna be looking for him in that back backers.
And so Wolf and I were talking about it yesterday
(45:05):
during practice and I said, I'm thinking he gets Patrick
Queen and Will said, no, I'll bet you gets a
Landing Roberts. Right. Yeah, So there's gonna be some of
that kind of stuff too, because I remember, you know,
back in the day when James Harrison was still here.
People who have been to training camp to watch backs
(45:28):
on backers the defensive A lot of times it was
Keith Butler would stand behind the offense so that the
offensive player couldn't see because they would line up two
defensive players who might be coming, you know, on the blitz.
So Butler would line up behind the running backs and
(45:49):
the running back couldn't see, and he would point to
the one that he wanted, you know, to come forward.
And like Tomlin is always there watching that, and he
would just interrupt and say, Debo's coming, you know, let
him know whoever it was, the offensive player, this is
who you're gonna get get ready. I want to see
(46:10):
what you've got. There's not gonna be any fooling or
you know, a trickery or anything. I'm telling you who
it's gonna be. You know what he's gonna do, Now,
what are you gonna do about it? So a lot
of times that's how it ends up unfolding.
Speaker 2 (46:25):
I'm getting fired up just thinking about it. Tuesday can't
get here soon enough. But there is one more acclamation
practice to get through today at one fifty five PM.
That's when the Steelers will take the take Chuck Nolefield
for practice today. That's it for me and Labs. We're
gonna hand the baton off to Wolf and Starks. We're
gonna go in the locker room with those two guys.
They'll be with you for the next couple of hours.
No show tomorrow since there is no practice, but Labs
(46:48):
and I'll be back again at nine am on Tuesday
for the training camp report on Steelers Nation Radio.
VC's the Training Camp Report with Tom Opperman and Bob
Labriola on Steeler's Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
So much fun had at camp yesterday, Labs. It was
the NFL's Return to Football initiative. The Hall of Honor
class was announced. Hey, there was even a Steelers practice,
and even though Russell Wilson wasn't running with the ones
or participating with the team, he was starting to ease
himself back into things. So we got plenty on our
plate to talk about here today on our Training Camp Report.
But I think it's only natural that we start with
(00:37):
the thing that you had a big hand in, and
that's the selection of the newest Hall of Honor class
Dick Lebo, Jason Gilden, Casey Hampton, and Willie Parker. And
I just want to say, Labs, I think this is
the first class of a Hall of Honor that I
remember all four participating in my life.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
So it's really nice of you to do me that
favor this time.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Well, during the selection meetings is one of the points
I brought. Yeah, well I emphasized it the most I
will say that, but uh, yeah, you know, the NFL
has been doing these you know, return to Football. They
branded different things. This This year's was back Together weekend
(01:19):
and it's always you know, the weekend before the Hall
of Fame game, which is coming up Thursday this coming week.
And you know, the Steelers, uh, their their contribution. I
guess a decision was made because you know, we're still
(01:40):
not in pads out here. Okay, so.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Tuesday is the first padded practice.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
Yeah, will not be right, This will be the last.
This is the last acclamation day, yay uh. But so
really the second came up with the idea of having
the Hall of Honor class announcement be held up here.
It's at the Rogers Center on campus, and you know,
(02:06):
it gives the fans another reason to come on the
first weekend, first full weekend of training camp for the
Steelers here at Saint Vincent College. And you know, everything
kind of worked out well this year in terms of
the timing. The announcement was made at one o'clock. Practice
didn't start till one fifty five, and you know, it
(02:32):
always turns out to be a nice little I don't know,
I guess an alumni gathering. You know, Jason Gilden was
a practice Aaron Smith who was inducted in the Hall
of honor last year, he was at practice. Both of
them brought some of their members of their family. Charlie
Batch was here. You know, he's obviously part of the
(02:55):
preseason telecast preseason game telecast on Katie Ka, so you know,
he's doing some due diligence, trying to familiarize himself with
the team, so you know, and those guys were out
in the field and interacting with you know, different people.
I mean, it's just it's just a nice kind of thing. Yeah,
(03:17):
it because truly, you know, I don't I'll just I'll
just whisper this to you. We'll just keep it between
the Yeah, Okay, I'm about I'm about done with acclamation period.
I've watched enough OTAs, I've watched enough mini camp. I
understand that it's necessary, but you know, okay, that's enough.
(03:42):
Let's let's if if we have to do this, let's
let's make it as close to real football as as
humanly possible.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
I think.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Before it's like where are that mouse that's always chasing
a piece of cheese that's moving during this training camp period,
it's like, great football's back, but now they don't have
pads on, and then pads will come on, and it's like,
I kind of want to see them hit another team.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
When's that Houston Texans game?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
And then the Texans game and the Bill's game will
go by, and we're like, can these.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Games start counting?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Now?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
It's just always to the God get us to September.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
Well, you know, don't wish the rest of the summer away.
But I'm with you. I understand what you mean on
that it is. But right now we are at the
can we please put the pads on stage for me?
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Those will come out on Tuesday, one last day of
acclamation today. Sticking with the Hall of Honor though for
a little bit, and just talking about the guys in
this class, obviously, all four of them more than deserving. Lebau,
Jason Gilden, Casey Hampton, Willie Parker, massive moments in a
Steelers uniform, all pro teams made Jason Gilden in two
thousand and one, Dick Lebou considered one of the greatest
(04:50):
coordinator coaches of all time, and he was a pretty
damn good player himself, by the way. I mean, just
the accolades, the memories, it's a perfect class.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
Yeah, you know, well, and again I kind of think
that all of them all, each class has a lot
of its own unique aspects that make it special. I mean,
these are all of these guys. I mean, and I
understand that some of the younger fans, newer fans might
(05:21):
not recognize when we dip into the wayback machine and
you know, honor some of those guys from yesteryear. But
as Dan Rooney always said, you know, they didn't invent
this game in nineteen seventy and so, and you know it.
I don't know. I like history, and I think it's
(05:45):
important for people to try and understand the things that
happened and the people who made them happen to make
the league what it is today. You know, there was
a time when professional football was not a glamorous business.
You know, the Steelers and I will get questions, you know,
who's the worst Steelers draft pick of all time? I mean,
(06:08):
you know, the Steelers have been involved in every NFL
draft ever held. And think about that. I mean, that's
you know, it's kind of cool. And as I mentioned,
you know, there were there were long periods where professional
football is not a glamorous business. The Steelers' first number
one pick in franchise history took a job as a
(06:29):
salesman instead. I mean he was like, I don't want
to do that. I can't make any money doing that.
So there were there's a lot of things like that,
pieces of history like that that I believe are worth remembering.
And in the Hall of Honor and the Hall of
Honor Museum. I think the intent Art Rooney's intent for
(06:54):
this whole package kind of thing was to entertain as
well as inform uh fans, So you know, it's worth going.
It's worth taking a trip and visiting the museum which
is in Akasher Stadium, or you know, you can follow
along with some of this stuff on the website, or
you know, listen to me ramble on and on about
(07:14):
it if you'd prefer to do it that way. But
I think all of the classes were special in different ways,
and there's always someone that fans believe to be the
crown jewel of a particular class. To try and put
a phrase on it, but as you mentioned, I mean
(07:35):
all of these.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Guys between these four for sure, to make one above
the rest.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Well, I mean this is what I would say, this
is what I would think people will think. Lebau.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah, and I bet you I bet you Jason and
Casey would that way as well.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
Yeah, as well as you know a lot of the
other guys, uh, you know who are in or who
are from that era. You know, one of the things
that really, I don't know, kind of crystallized it for me.
You know, at last year's induction dinner, Okay, Aaron Smith
(08:17):
James Harrison were two of the inductees, and so de
Lebau attended the dinner, and just the way that those
two players and then you know, there's a lot of
other players who come to those things, you know, uh,
(08:37):
the way they acted with him, it really I mean,
you know, you and I was part I worked for
the team. I won't say I was part of it,
but I worked for the team throughout the Lebaux era
and with the Steelers, and you know, you have talked
I have talked to players who who relate stories of
(08:58):
you know, what a good man he is and what
a great coach he is, and you know, you hear
all of those stories and sometimes they throw in anecdotes
as well, but to actually see the interactions between them
and the genuine affection and respect that they still have,
(09:20):
you know, I mean, this is it can be for
a lot of these guys decades, a couple of decades,
and so yeah, it really kind of hit home to
me the respect and admiration these players have for him.
And you know, Art Rooney the second even said yesterday that,
(09:42):
you know, the addition of Lebaux, you know, it is
kind of different to go with the guy who was
strictly an assistant coach. It was never a player here.
His Hall of Fame gold jacket and Hall of Fame
bust was accumulated through what he did for the Detroit Lions.
(10:05):
I mean, Dick Leabou is not in Candon, Ohio for
as a coach. It may have helped him in terms of,
you know, putting him back in the spotlight, in terms
of the Hall of Honor excuse me, Hall of Fame
Board of Selectors. You know, kind of got his name
out there again. But Dick Lebou had sixty two interceptions, right,
(10:31):
I mean, that's a pretty big number. Look at the
you know, he's still up there. And that's the thing
about Lebau.
Speaker 5 (10:37):
He was.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
He was very competitive, a very good athlete. And I'll
warn people out there even to this day, if you
run into Dick lebow on a golf course and he says,
you want to play around, we can bet a couple
of bucks. Don't do it, we will pick you clean.
(11:02):
Dick Coke told me a long time ago, a kind
of during Lebau's first tenure with the Steelers, which was
ninety two through ninety six, he said to me, because
Dick co could play a little golf too, he said,
Lebou could make a living on the PGA Senior Tour. Wow,
(11:24):
that's how good he is. And yeah, like I said,
he was a he was a real competitor. I remember
when the Steelers hired Ken Wizenhunt, who was a pretty
good golfer as well, and they would they would go
offense defense. The coaching staff and I mean Lebo would
(11:46):
just torture them, just torture those guys. Uh.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
It is It is such a different level when you're
that good, Like, yeah, guys can be good, but when
you're good enough where someone's like this guy could be
playing against XPGA Tour golfers on the senior Tour and
they just blow pep make money.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Yeah, and make money. Yeah. And as I said, here's
another story. You know, in nineteen ninety three, that was
the year that Rod Woodson ended up being the defensive
player of the Year. So Woodson, I don't know, yeh
think he had like four interceptions in the first six
games or something. So it was a little It was
(12:22):
between meetings and practices at three rivers stadiums still, and
the defensive backs were in there, and you know, they're
all talking. A few of them are talking to Woodson
and you know, just celebrating his accomplishments to that point
in the season. How many interceptions he has? Blah blah
(12:42):
blah and thick lebows walking through the locker room and
he hears what they're talking about, and he says, hey,
how many you got, now, Rod? I meny interceptions Woodson
had in his career. I mean he had only started
in nineteen eighty. I'm trying to get this right. Eighty
seven I think Grady six. I can't it.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Only been like five or six years.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
Yeah, okay, And he gave his number twenty four whatever
it happened to be, and Lebau just kept walking by,
like glanced over at him and said, you know, forty
five more and you'll almost have as many as me.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Well, So Dick Lebou is still tenth all time on
the all time interceptions list, but unfortunately for him, Rod
did get him because he settled it nicely at number
three all time with his seventy one perceptions.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Yeah so, but that's again, I'm sure that Dick lebou
was one of the you know, people who congratulated him
on that, but he wasn't going to avoid sticking the
needle in when when he still had the upper hand.
I mean, that's what competitors do well.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
The Steelers will welcome the twenty twenty four Hall of
Honor class on Sunday, December eighth against the Cleveland Browns.
It will include an on field presentation during halftime of
the game. So December eighth, if you want to be
involved in the Hall of Honor, you want to try
to find your way into the stadium. I would do
it now and try to get tickets to that Browns game.
It'll be a fun game. We'll beat the Browns and
(14:07):
we'll induct four legends into our Hall of Honor. There
was practice yesterday before labs and eye blow hot air
about what we think went on. Let's hear from the coach,
the guy who knows a little bit more than you
and I his media session as he always does following practice.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Let's listen and how it went.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
Man, with a great weekend out here, Man, it's just
awesome to fill our fans. Getting back to football is
a beautiful thing, and their presence is a component of it.
We just appreciate this atmosphere. It's a great atmosphere to
work in and get better and compete, particularly for the
new stealers. Man, not only the guys that are transitioning
to professional ball, but we had a lot of veteran
(14:45):
guys that are new to us and this is their
first exposure to the type of support that he is
still a nation, and so be remiss if I didn't
acknowledge that.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
Man.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
We just had a beautiful day to day from a
health standpoint, starting to work Russ back. Man, he got
some individual work. We'll can cotinue to do the same again.
It's me I'm pursueding with extreme caution, man, because we're
afforded that this time of year, and particularly because I'm
just getting to know him, and so when you don't
have a back background or relationship with somebody, Man, when
(15:14):
you're in my position, is just pruding. When given an
opportunity to kind of be a little bit cautious to
make sure a small problem doesn't become a big one.
Rodney Williams fell on his shoulder. Looks like an ac joint.
Usually those are characterized as a number of a number
of days. But we'll get that definitive here and maybe
I have a little bit more information in the next
couple of days or so. The rest are just kind
(15:35):
of bumps and bruises associated with play. Maybe some fatigue
as we get acclimated and getting football conditioning. Nothing that's
gonna slowly train down. I'll pause it and open up
for questions.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
What about Isaac, You can set out for anything with that. Yeah,
that's just maintenance. You know.
Speaker 6 (15:51):
We started rotating our veteran off days and an effort
to preserve but also to get exposure to young people.
It's twofold. You'll see Cam and TJ and others who've
been at it a while and are familiar with this
environment get some days off, and it's about preserving them,
giving them what they need to be ready and quite frankly,
(16:11):
sometimes experienced guys need less than others, but also providing
an opportunity for the for the young guys to get
additional reps and elevated reps against more experienced competition. In
some instances, Tencher Anderson's.
Speaker 7 (16:24):
Took a damage act by couple reps in person, taking
team postparts.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
What's he kind of shown you in You know, he
hadn't shown me a lot yet because it's early in
the process and we're still football in helmets. But he's
an example of what I'm talking about. We expect some
growth from him being a second year guy, and so
Isaac having a day off allows him to work on
his skills and display his skills.
Speaker 7 (16:46):
What do you expect from a guy like George's third
year and just has on the offensive?
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Pretty sure? You know, I think that's why we're here.
Speaker 6 (16:51):
I think we're all carving out our roles and developing
our roles. Specifically obviously from a George's perspective, he's got
some unique talent and we just want that to show
up extremely consistently.
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Hey, Hey, you guys honored Jason Gilbrew today. Just your
thoughts on them as a player. Maybe the history of
this that position in this team. Is there a through
line there, some kind of connection While how so many suits.
Speaker 6 (17:13):
I don't want to misrepresent the relationship. I didn't coach Jason,
but obviously outside linebacker in Pittsburgh, it's what makes Pittsburgh Blitzburg.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
It's generational.
Speaker 6 (17:25):
Young and new outside linebackers understand uh the men that
come before them and the standards that have been set.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
And it's a unique fraternity.
Speaker 6 (17:33):
It's a beautiful thing to have guys like Jason Gilden
come out here or Lamar Woodley last year and watch
Lamar Woodley develop relationship with Alex Highsmith, a guy who's
jersey number he's been wearing. It's just a unique thing
to have continuity in that way and legacy and standard bearers.
Speaker 7 (17:50):
Can you speak to you gyp the bow and you
thinking that there as well.
Speaker 8 (17:53):
Somebody who you've worked with.
Speaker 6 (17:55):
What makes him special and unique? And still that's the man.
We won't have enough time to talk about. What makes
Dick Lebouh special. He's a special coach, he's a special strategist,
he's a special leader, he's a special communicator, he's thoughtful,
he's good with people. The list goes on and on.
Man obviously deserving of the honor. Jal and Warren's already
(18:17):
said he's worm, but he's conditioning a lot of officers,
and he said something that you've already kind of seen.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Play dividends here what your expectation is doing.
Speaker 5 (18:22):
You know, i'd be reaching.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
I think conditioning and things of that nature get revealed
the more we keep working and they have to put
consecutive days together. But obviously, just by the looks of him,
he's done some nice work.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Childn's been out there with the kickoff return guys as
he has.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
In the past.
Speaker 7 (18:38):
Is the new rule make it a little bit more
viable to use someone who's a big part of your
offense in that rule in that role?
Speaker 6 (18:43):
You know, you know, we got all cards on the
table in regards to that. I think we're all stepping
into somewhat uncharted territory, and so it's probably prudent to
cast a big net in terms of personnel, whether we're
talking about return people or or blockers or covers people,
just casting a big net, and I think that's appropriate.
Speaker 9 (19:03):
Mike in general, and the kick off wol obviously a
great person insight into the formulation.
Speaker 7 (19:07):
Of the rule with the competitive part of it. As
you said, do you feel like you have a handle
mail of the things you're gonna try to do with
things that will be done to you.
Speaker 6 (19:14):
I think anybody that's saying they got to handle on
it is probably lying or or you know, naive. Man,
there's no video. All we have is words on the page.
I think that's a component of it that makes it exciting.
There's gonna be some anxiety among my peers regarding these concepts, man,
until we get some video on it. I'd imagine there's
(19:35):
a lot of guys in my position gonna be watching
a Hall of Fame game to see what some of
it looks like. I'll be looking at the EA Sports
game when it comes out, man, to see what it
looks like. It's just uncharted territory, and so you pay
respect to the unknown with preparedness and anxiety.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
At times, there's only so much you engaged before you
put the pods on. But have you seen the light
go on in any way from the Marvin Leal coming
in year free exactly what you said.
Speaker 6 (20:00):
You cannot gauge a whole lot, particularly as it pertains
the defensive bigs until they're carrying their paths about.
Speaker 5 (20:06):
Like work ethic or conditioning or anything like that.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
I don't know that work ethic and conditioning has ever
been an issue for him developing skill and maturity. And
remember he was a young guy, third year junior when
we drafted him, and so he's gotten continually better and
we is reasonable for us to expect that to continue.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Coach Mike Tomlin with the media following practice yesterday lives.
I gotta be honest, I don't know if I believe
him when he says he's going to be checking the
EA game. I don't know if coach Mike Tomlin is
a Madden Football kind of pluck guy. But I do
understand what he's saying about kind of the anxiety that
he has about this amongst his peers and needing to
see it on film, needing to see some evidence of
(20:47):
it to start to feel more comfortable.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
And then also, I think the other.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Thing to touch upon about what he said there is
what everybody's worried about is Russell Wilson starting to ease
himself back in. But like Tomlin said, we're afforded the
opportunity to ease him back in because this is July
twenty eighth, not September twenty eighth.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
Yeah, and let me just start with the EA thing.
He is a football junkie. That's the word, the phrase
that he uses to describe himself. And I wouldn't. I
would say that Mike Thomas not the kind of guy
to sit and play the game just to play the game.
But he's trying to run some simulations of what kickoffs
(21:27):
might look like collecting yeah right, yeah, you never know.
Speaker 10 (21:34):
But but with Russ with Andrews, you know, he did
some no go, he did some individual work starting to
ease himself back into things, but obviously taking it.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
So then even Russ yesterday, remember when we played his audio,
he was asked if there's a game are you playing?
And he was like, oh, yeah, I'm playing, no doubt.
So I mean it's it's about time of year as
much as anything. Yeah it is.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
And I also think that, you know, Mike Tomlin is
enjoying you know, he says this all the time and
even referred to it in in this post practice briefing
as well. Again, it's more about the guys who then
get an opportunity to play and a chance to evaluate
(22:19):
them as well. You know, it's not like there's anybody
on that quarterback depth chart where he has a relationship
with at all, So any opportunity, you know, to get
those other guys some repetitions while also you know, not
being overly aggressive or you know, careless with Russell Wilson,
(22:44):
who is I don't know, I'm guessing thirty five in
that area, in his mid thirties. I'll say it that way.
You know, it's it's just I think it's good business
at this point, and because there's there's going to come
a time here, you know, not too long into the
future where you know, Russell Wilson is going to be
(23:05):
occupying a lot of the reps he's going to have
to because again, he's not like Ben. I mean, he
may be like Ben in terms of you know, a
career resume, that kind of thing, excuse me, that kind
of thing, but there's no again, there's no personal experience
with this guy either you know, as strictly on the
(23:30):
field professionally speaking, or what makes him tick. And so
that has to be developed, and it has to be
developed through time. And so right now still early, you know,
those of us who have acclamation period itis like himself.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
I would.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
I don't know this for sure, but my suspicion is
that the first day of pads as soon as this
that happened, the calf thing with Russell Wilson, I think
that was kind of unofficially targeted as his return date
because you know, let's not forget also that Russell Wilson
(24:14):
attended the entire offseason program. He was there for every ota,
you know, all of that kind of stuff. And there
were also some uh situations where he organized you know,
off campus for lack of a better phrase, a workouts
something in San Diego. Pat Fayerman talked about that. So
(24:36):
there have been examples and opportunities, you know, for Russell
Wilson to get to know or some of his teammates,
and like I said, you know, more mini camp practices.
You know, let's see what Justin Fields can do. Kyle
Allen is a guy who is going to be coming
(24:57):
up on the short end of the repetition stick here
real soon. But hey, the Steelers believe in keeping three quarterbacks.
If you're gonna keep three, you might as well have
a third who if you have to go to him,
he can maybe help you get out of a game,
win a game. Because we've we've seen it. We see
(25:18):
it happen all the time when you get into late
December and January. A game that you either won or
maybe lost in the first month of the season could
be very impactful when the final standings and seedings and
all that stuff are figured out.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
We'll get into Seven Shots, second edition of Seven Shots
and yesterday's practice, talk about who won, who got the
good meal, who had to eat the gruel and the
disgusting you know, oatmeal, talk about some guys that impressed
in that drill as well, and oatmeal, I do like oatmeal.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
And then Justin sorry, sorry, oatmeal, didn't mean to take
you out there.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
And then Justin Field spoke as well to Missy Matthews
and Craig Wilfley following practice. So we'll hear from phill
in QB one for the past three days of Steelers
training camp. It's all on the way on the Training
Camp Report with Labs and Tom on Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
This's no Training camp Report with Tom Opperman and Bob
Labriola on Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
The second installment of Seven Shots in the twenty twenty
four training camp was yesterday, Labs and a little bit
of a streak starting for the defense. They were victorious again,
but today was a little bit more one sided than
yesterday's even was.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
Yeah, the defense really had the upper hand from the beginning,
six to one in the defense's favor. And I don't know,
just as a less than experted observer, it seemed to
(26:51):
me that, you know, the defense, Cam Hayward batted one
ball down, but overall, I would say that the offense
failed more than the defense, you know, inflicked at its will,
if you know what I mean. I mean, there were
you know, there were a couple of plays it seemed
(27:13):
that and I don't know if this was on purpose
or just the way Justin Fields was seeing things unfold,
but there seemed to be you know, a couple three
attempts to Calvin Austin, the third in the end zone,
and you know, one of them was, you know, he's
running across the back of the end zone and if
(27:33):
you're going to run a guy back there, it would
help if he was taller. I'm not saying he has
to be six ' nine, but you know, Calvin Austin
is one of the shorter receivers on the roster, and
you know, just that kind of stuff, I don't know,
that didn't really make sense to me. But again, it's
(27:54):
early in camp. You're trying to work on things, fine things,
you know, I get all of it, but just specifically
talking about this specific seven shots again, it seemed like
to me the offense was failing more than the defense
was dominating.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
There were some players that you noted, specifically Roman Wilson
on the offensive side of the ball though that in
seven shots and in practice, you know, as much as
he can without pads being on.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
You know, raised an eyebrow, made you maybe want to
see him with.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
The pads on a little bit more, maybe, you know,
confirm that he could, you know, get through this acclamation
period and look like a professional and you're you're willing
to see what that next step looks like.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Yeah, I mean there's there's definitely obviously some jobs roles
available for the wide receivers on this roster, and there's
a lot of expectation or excitement, let me put it
that way about Roman Wilson when he was drafted and
what he might be able to contribute as a rookie
(29:04):
and how quickly he might be able to do that.
And I think he had a pretty good day yesterday
and maybe this is the start of something, because that's
the thing with rookies or you know, new young players
or just young players who have been around for a
year or two. One in a row. Anybody can do
it one in a row. You can have a good day,
(29:26):
everybody can have a good day, but can you put
them together? Can you stack them? You know what happens
the day after you have a good day, so you
know that'll be something to keep an eye on. But
you know, again, Roman Wilson, you know, had a nice day.
And let me throw out another defensive player I mentioned.
You know, Cam Hayward knocked the play down the Marvin
(29:48):
Leale blew up a attempted shovel pass Jonathan Ward. You know,
you know how they work, and the bat comes through
and flip them the ball and Leal was there instantly.
I mean, did a really nice job there. And he's
a guy that Mike tom referenced in his post practice briefing, right.
(30:15):
You know, he came to the Steelers as a third
year junior. I mean I think he was twenty years
old when the Steelers drafted him, So you know he's
young not only in terms of experience, but also chronologically
and bodies a lot of times need time to develop
(30:36):
because when the Marvin Leale was playing in the NFL
as a young twenties human being, he's going against real
men and grizzled men, and that can be sometimes unfair physically,
certainly with experience and savvy, definitely the the men have
(31:02):
an advantage. So, you know, we were you were talking
about guys that maybe you want to see something from
as when pads go on. Would I would put the
Marvin leel in that in that category on that list.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Yeah, and he's twenty four years old right now, and
in the current day of the NCAA with n AL
and players staying longer in COVID years still being a thing,
although that might be coming to an end finally this year.
You know, there's twenty four year old's playing in college
and he's twenty four entering his third year in the NFL.
So there is still a green grass in front of
(31:39):
Demarvin Leal. But I think it's undoubtedly considered a big
year for him to as Tomlin was noting, it was
never a conditioning thing or anything with him. It's about,
you know, skills starting to come to an NFL level.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
Yeah. I learned a long time ago that when it
comes time for the NFL team to make business decisions
on a player, you know, because the Marvin leel is
now getting close to second contract. Okay, so no, if
(32:13):
you're looking for a second contract in the NFL, all
of that potential stuff, that's that's history. You're gonna get
judged on. Now what have you shown? Because you don't
get to go into the negotiation for your second contract
and say, you know, in two or three more years,
I could be really good.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
I'm just trust me, bro.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
Yeah, because what the team will likely say is, well,
you can try and be really good somewhere else, because
we're gonna spend our money on something that we're a
little bit more sure of. So yeah, when you see guys,
you know, a lot of a lot was made of
did the Steelers with the Steelers exercise Naseie Harris's fifty
(32:59):
year old option? Okay, if you're a first round pick,
that's available. But if you're not a first round pick,
you're four years and you're done. That's it. You're also
an unrestricted free agent too, because the CBA rules now
drafted players wokie contracts for four years. So as soon
as those contracts are up, you're an unrestricted free agent
(33:22):
open for you know, bidding on open for bidding on
the open market. So you better have shown something because,
as I said, teams are starting to make business decisions
on guys when they reached that point in their career.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
Well, his unit didn't have success in seven shots, losing
six to one, but Justin Fields was kind enough to
catch up with Missy Matthews and Craig Wolfley following practice yesterday.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
So let's listen into what Fields had to say.
Speaker 9 (33:49):
Justin, what has this growing process been working with the
George Pickens, Pat Fryer Moose of the world for you?
Speaker 11 (33:55):
Yeah, I mean it's been great working with both of
those guys who have of course had a success over
the past, you know, a couple of years, and you know,
it's just been great getting reps with them. You know,
the more reps I can get it with them, the
more chemistry we build over time. So you know, it's
just been it's just been great, like I said, being
able to work with those guys on the field.
Speaker 8 (34:11):
Justin, is there any truth to the rumor that you
actually went up and kicked Russ in the calf to
tighten it up, you know, just get a little extra work.
Speaker 5 (34:18):
You know what I mean. I'm just saying I wouldn't
do that if I got.
Speaker 8 (34:24):
No But justin truly, let me ask you something. How
quarterback friendly is this offense? As it's unfolding day by
day for you, how do you feel about it?
Speaker 5 (34:32):
Yeah? I mean I feel great. You know.
Speaker 11 (34:33):
The great thing about Arthur is he communicates with us
a lot, you know, talk to us about what we like,
what we don't like. So you know it's a quarterback
friendly and you know he might like to play, but
if we don't like it, then he's not gonna call it.
So in terms of that stuff with you know, communicating
on what we like to run and stuff like that.
Of course you're not going to see that too much
in can't but uh, you know when the game comes
and you know, he's going to make sure that we're
comfortable with the players that are being caught. But you
(34:55):
know this, this offense has been great so far.
Speaker 9 (34:57):
Justin, you're a competitor, so you get it. Russell Wilson
hold us. You know, he hates not being out there,
but it is what it is. How has he helped
you being that he's taking the mental reps and he's
on the sideline.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
Yeah, I mean Russ.
Speaker 11 (35:09):
You know, he's a guy that's been in the league
for a very long time, so he's very you know, knowledgeable,
has a lot of wisdom under his belt. So it's
great just having him out there and really just hearing
his ideas in the meeting room and we'll run a
play and just the different concepts he comes up with
his mind or he might have ran in the past
with a couple of other different teams, So it's great
having him in the room being able to learn from him.
Speaker 5 (35:30):
So I'm excited about that part for sure.
Speaker 8 (35:32):
Justin you've spent some years in the league already obviously
got tremendous physical attributes. Now is a hacking the way
of the unessentials learning to throw the two ball, whatever
they got, you know, having a touch on things, or
you got to rocket ar him as it is. What's
been the most difficult thing for you to start to
you know, kind of kind of get rid of all.
Speaker 11 (35:51):
The hiccups in you know, I think, you know, we
have a lot of new guys on the team this year,
so I think you know that's the thing is not
such things difficulty, but you know, there's different terminology here,
so just getting used to that terminology, getting used to
our language, and really just getting on the same page
with guys. You know, we we get those looks in
practice where a route might be different versus a different coverage,
(36:13):
So you know, just getting those reps under our belt
and just just making sure we're in the same.
Speaker 5 (36:17):
Page with all the other guys.
Speaker 9 (36:18):
Justin they had the refs here today for the third
day of practice. Some offensive linemen pre snap penalties. I
think I saw some guys running a lap Roderick Jones,
Zach Frazier just to name a few. Is there something
going on with the offense and maybe some consequences if
things don't.
Speaker 5 (36:33):
Go as planned? Yeah, nah, for sure.
Speaker 11 (36:35):
We try to minimalize those pre snap penalties as much
as possible. Stuff that we can control. And you know,
when it comes to those things pre snap penalties like
false stars, you know, guys suffer, you know, things for
stuff like me, like motions and stuff like that. We
try to minimalize that as much as possible. So, you know,
at the end of the day, it sounds kind of
(36:55):
old fashioned, but you know, if you jump off side
or you have a little hiccup before the play, aviss
hearts and everyone has to run it no matter who
you are.
Speaker 9 (37:03):
So, yeah, is this coming down from Arthur Smith?
Speaker 11 (37:07):
I mean yeah, he said that this morning in the offensive.
Speaker 9 (37:11):
You to Meani, So the defense seems to like to
call it out.
Speaker 3 (37:14):
Is that fair?
Speaker 5 (37:15):
Yeah? I mean that's what they should do. That's what
they should do.
Speaker 11 (37:18):
You know, in the game, where an offensive line might
jump and you know the rest might see it, the
defense usually goes crazy to just put more attention on that.
So the defense is definitely doing the job when that happens,
for sure.
Speaker 8 (37:29):
All I can say justin is I'm glad it's happening now,
not back in the eighties, because there was a practice
I went three times, I jumped off size.
Speaker 5 (37:35):
I'd have to been a marathon runner for crying out
allowed to do that. Now.
Speaker 8 (37:39):
I got to ask you something. Tell me about your
experience in Pittsburgh so far. You see the fans throwing
it on the hillside day by day. What's it been
like for you? Have you been able to enjoy it
at all? And what's it like to be in this well,
you know, not everybody goes away.
Speaker 5 (37:52):
To training camp. So now you're going away to training camp.
How do you like it?
Speaker 11 (37:55):
Yeah, I mean so far in the first few days,
the atmosphere has been great. I can tell the fans
are really passing about football here, so it's just awesome
to see the turnout, especially on the weekend. I feel like,
you know, the weekends, you know, more fans might turn
out because of course they don't have to work and
stuff like that. So fans have been great, awesome supporting
our team while we practice. And you know, the destination
CHEP is, you know, my first doing it, my first
(38:16):
time doing it, and personally it is different, different experience
from me. But I really enjoy it because after meeting
and stuff like that, you really get to sit down
and spend time with their teammates, really get to know
them and kind of get another background story and really
just build team chemistry.
Speaker 5 (38:29):
Show. It's been awesome. It's been great, all.
Speaker 9 (38:30):
Right, justin We really appreciate your time. We're glad we
get a chance to know you a little bit more
as well. Thanks so much for joining us here.
Speaker 5 (38:36):
Yeah, I appreciate you, guys, appreciate you buy Thank you lads.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
It's always so cool when you guys come in and
they get asked in these first couple of days, how
you liking this whole Saint Vincent College experience, because it
just hammers home how unique it is to do this
in the NFL. A lot of guys like in Chicago
or russ and Seattle, like they're just going to their
facility that they usually go to every day during the
regular season to do training camp.
Speaker 4 (39:00):
Yeah, I mean my experience, he is at these destination
training camps and at this particular destination. You know, with
the exception of the two COVID years, this is what
training camp is. And so you know, sometimes you might
have a tendency to get numbed by it a little bit,
(39:21):
you know, because it's all you know, but when you
hear other people talking about it and see how the
new people react to it, it gives you a little
bit of a better understanding how special it really kind
of is.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Yeah, no doubt, and that's why the Steelers continue to
do it and have such a great relationship with Saint
Vincent to go up there and have this destination camp.
When we come back to wrap up the show, we
kind of got into this a little bit, but you know,
we're sick of the acclamation period.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
We want the pads to come on.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
But there are some guys in these past three practices
and today being the fourth one, that have turned your
head a little bit and have wanted you to see
what that next step with pads looks like. So throw
a couple names out there. We'll riff about that to
close things down today on the Training Camp Report on
Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
He sees the Training Camp Report with Tom Opferman and
Bob Labriola on Steeler's Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
Just one more day of acclamation to get through and
then the pads come on on Tuesday and you can
really start to make some judgments on some of these players.
But some guys that have already turned some heads without
the pads that have made you want to see those
pads even more so with them. We talked a little
bit about the Marvin Leal in the last segment. He's
(40:41):
one of them. But the guy I wanted to lead
off with in that category, Labs. We mentioned him, I
think on Friday Show. But inside linebacker Peyton Wilson. The
burst that you see from him is really eye popping.
It jumps off the screen and you know, to look
great in Jim shortz and a T shirt is hard
(41:02):
to do it in the NFL, and there's only a
certain amount of, you know, areas of the game that
you can look great in this setting.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
But he's he's done that. His burst is speed.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
Everything has looked great, and I want to see what
it looks like when it gets to the physicality part.
Speaker 4 (41:16):
Yeah. Absolutely, you know, he's certainly one of those names.
And just let me kind of go down what we're
going to what I think we're going to see on Tuesday.
There will be seven shots. But now when the quarterback
justin fields, Russell Wilson, Kyle Allen, whoever takes the snap,
there's a thread of a running play. Okay, so there's that.
(41:42):
We'll also see backs on backers. I'm sure, Mike, that's
a Mike Tomlin first day in pad Staple. Okay, So
you know last year, I remember one of the very
early pairings was rookie tight end Darnell Washington against that
guy who for some reason couldn't beat on Miles Garrett
(42:04):
for the Defensive Player of the Year award. What's his name,
Oh yeah, d J Watt. So there's that, and and
then there's also going to be and know what they
call it, but it's eleven on eleven full tackle football,
you know, because they do a period.
Speaker 5 (42:25):
I don't know what their name.
Speaker 4 (42:26):
Is, well, but I mean, well there's a there's a
name they put on the schedule. Technical name. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (42:33):
Yeah, uh.
Speaker 4 (42:34):
And so you're gonna see again, you know, backs on
backers is usually just certain positions. You'll see some tight ends,
You'll see some linebackers, some running backs, you know, those
those kind of people. But when they go eleven on eleven,
you want to see Troy Filetano. You want to see
(42:54):
Zach Frasier throwing up against like Larry Ogan, Jobi, maybe
some Zach Fraser against Keanu Benton. You know, there's gonna
be a lot of that kind of stuff too. So
you know, first day in pads, you know, and I'm hey,
I'm part of it. Get excited about backs on backers,
(43:16):
but there's there's some other competitive periods that are going
to test some of these guys, you know, with the
physical aspects of the sport, which now can be introduced
because everybody has pads on. So yeah, the Marvin Leale
certainly is a guy I want to see the rookie
(43:36):
offensive lineman both of them, File Tom and Zach Frasier. Uh,
you know Broderick Jones. You know, it's thought like he's
a second year player, but that's the second year is
when Mike Tomlin is looking for that big jump, you know,
because is he going to go in there and start
(43:58):
dominating people right from the start. I'm just going through
it in my head real quick, you know, And this
is this player I'm about to mention. I don't think
there's any concern or question about his ability to bring it.
But what's Patrick Queen's impact going to be. It's not
(44:21):
so much a going to be you know, can he
do it or not? But to what level will he
be doing it? One of the things one of the
things I'm interested in, you know. Craig Wolfley brought up
a good point the free agent rookie running back Dejon
Edwards from Georgia. He's been looking pretty good, you know,
(44:42):
running through has a nice burst and nice acceleration, but
nobody's tackling him. He had a decent career at Georgia
as a runner, but I don't know how much past
protection he has had to do or was asked to do.
So I'm gonna be looking for him in that back backers.
And so Wolf and I were talking about it yesterday
(45:05):
during practice and I said, I'm thinking he gets Patrick
Queen and Will said, no, I'll bet you gets a
Landing Roberts. Right. Yeah, So there's gonna be some of
that kind of stuff too, because I remember, you know,
back in the day when James Harrison was still here.
People who have been to training camp to watch backs
(45:28):
on backers the defensive A lot of times it was
Keith Butler would stand behind the offense so that the
offensive player couldn't see because they would line up two
defensive players who might be coming, you know, on the blitz.
So Butler would line up behind the running backs and
(45:49):
the running back couldn't see, and he would point to
the one that he wanted, you know, to come forward.
And like Tomlin is always there watching that, and he
would just interrupt and say, Debo's coming, you know, let
him know whoever it was, the offensive player, this is
who you're gonna get get ready. I want to see
(46:10):
what you've got. There's not gonna be any fooling or
you know, a trickery or anything. I'm telling you who
it's gonna be. You know what he's gonna do, Now,
what are you gonna do about it? So a lot
of times that's how it ends up unfolding.
Speaker 2 (46:25):
I'm getting fired up just thinking about it. Tuesday can't
get here soon enough. But there is one more acclamation
practice to get through today at one fifty five PM.
That's when the Steelers will take the take Chuck Nolefield
for practice today. That's it for me and Labs. We're
gonna hand the baton off to Wolf and Starks. We're
gonna go in the locker room with those two guys.
They'll be with you for the next couple of hours.
No show tomorrow since there is no practice, but Labs
(46:48):
and I'll be back again at nine am on Tuesday
for the training camp report on Steelers Nation Radio.
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