August 1, 2025 • 45 mins
Labs and Tom talk about the Receivers and hear from Roman Wilson and DK Metcalf. Labs gives a history of Friday Night Lights practice for the Steelers and what to expect tonight.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
iHeartRadio's live coverage Job Not twenty twenty five Steelers Training
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Speaker 2 (00:34):
Tom up from An and Bob Labriola on the Training
Camp Report. Steelers Friday Night Lights practice tonight at La
Trobe Memorial Stadium. Later on in the hour, Labs and
I will give you a great look at Friday Night Lights,
the history behind.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
It, what to expect, all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
But before we get their labs, someone who really shone
through or shined through. However, you say that I'm not
a wordsmith, although I'm on the radio, so maybe I
should admit that Rome Wilson, we touched on him a
little bit, had a big play, really started to make
his mark. And you need to see that from someone,
whether it's a Wilson in Austin, although you saw it
(01:09):
from him a little bit in games last year of
Robert Woods, there's playing time to be had at that
wide receiver position, and other than DK and the tight
ends that we've talked about already, someone needs to make
a big impression and looks like Wilson's the first horse
out of the barn on that one in this training camp.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Yeah, but as you mentioned, Calvin Austin has shown some
of that in games, so that kind of, in my opinion,
that would put him above you know, however you're ranking them,
that would put him higher because you know, if you've
done it in a regular season game at least, and
I think Calvin Austin did in a couple regular season
(01:47):
games last year, maybe even one the year before, that
puts you ahead of someone who is you know, working
on doing that in their first game of their NFL career.
And yeah, I am very willing to give Roman Wilson
his props for the way he worked on his body
(02:07):
during the offseason and then what he showed yesterday in
that kind of like wow moment getting behind Joey Porter
Junior making a contested catch deep down the field in
the end zone for a touchdown. But that doesn't mean
that he's arrived either. I mean, this is that's one.
You know, one is you know you need you need
(02:30):
more than one so that it becomes a trend or
a habit or you know, really part of your repertoire.
So again I'm not running down Roman Wilson at all,
but that was the first step. Good for him. Now
you got to build on that.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Preferably do it in pads maybe tonight at Friday night lights.
Then preferably do it in Jacksonville and then in Tampa Bay.
Right like you can just slowly. You don't have to
immediately arrive on the scene and become the Steelers' number
two wide receiver. It doesn't have to be. You better
get up to speed, and you better get there by
week one against the Jets, and we're going to forget
about you. It can be a bit of a slow
build this year. But if he stays healthy, which was
(03:09):
the problem last year, you know, you're just going to
get more and more opportunities the more plays you make.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Yeah, and you know that's staying healthy thing is so
huge because especially at this time of the year, because
when you stay healthy, that means you can continue to practice,
which means you can continue to work on your craft,
which means you can continue to improve. I mean that's
what totally ruined Roman Wilson's rooky year. He was standing
around watching and so yet you know, you can't really
(03:39):
develop then it's just not possible. It's not the way
it works. And so yeah, this is you know, looking
at Roman Wilson where he is now, where the Steelers
and the fans want him to be. I think one
of the critical things along that road getting from here
to there is him remaining healthy to be able to
(04:04):
continue to practice. You get the repetitions that helps you
improve individually. It also gets you you get the repetitions
you're working with others around you, not only the quarterbacks,
but also your fellow receivers. You're working against not only
the man who's covering you, but the defensive coverage as
(04:25):
a whole. These are all things you need to develop
yourself into a guy that the coaches look at you
and say he's ready to play.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Roman Wilson chatted with the media after yesterday's practice. It's
a big year for him, a big training camp for him.
Let's hear how the receiver said it's going so far
and what's on the horizon for him?
Speaker 5 (04:47):
I mean about that rep on Joey that you have
where he scored a touchdowns?
Speaker 6 (04:51):
You want on ones depot just go get in mentality?
Speaker 5 (04:54):
Did you get right feel good to? I mean he's
one of the starting courters. Feel good to go up
and get if at one moment?
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, for sure?
Speaker 1 (05:02):
What do you is that.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Kind of play you can build off?
Speaker 7 (05:05):
Roman?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
You got to cheer from the crowd. Everybody saw it.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
Yeah, I mean that was a great play. Knowing me,
I loving the fans out here. I love their reactions
to everything, the good and the bad. And I feel
like every rep I take out there, I can, you know,
build from it, you know, no matter.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
What it is.
Speaker 8 (05:20):
What do you appreciate about the chance to just beat
up physical on a day like this in training camp,
the buildings, your.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Fellow or your dbs.
Speaker 6 (05:26):
What do I appreciate that?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
What do you.
Speaker 8 (05:27):
Appreciate about just being able to beat out physical.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
In those moments?
Speaker 6 (05:29):
I really love how competitive is this year guys are
getting after I love to be a part of it.
Feels good to be back.
Speaker 9 (05:36):
Mike's talking sent it a couple of times. I'm thinking
the camp this is for you?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
How do you respond to that?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (05:41):
Just every day being locked in my routine, taking it
one day at a time, just really being being here
in the trope, you know, not mentally being somewhere else,
just being right here and focus on practice every day.
Speaker 10 (05:53):
What's the biggest difference for you outside?
Speaker 3 (05:57):
I feel like it's kind of the same thing.
Speaker 6 (05:58):
You know, working this thing kind of meats and you know,
just really working on getting open and making them play.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
From my TV, how much have you worked on getting
off Presscott has been some of you guys can work on.
Speaker 6 (06:07):
Oh, I feel like we're working on it all the time,
you know, Zee, that's a big thing, Throm and.
Speaker 11 (06:11):
That's what we do.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
How have you picked up so far from the dk uh?
Speaker 6 (06:16):
Just kind of his experience and the way he's so physical.
I like to really watch him if probably high points
the ball, and just as the style of the play,
you know, how he finishes, how physically he is, and
you know his wont He's just he's an elite player
and I love to learn from him.
Speaker 9 (06:29):
Aaron talked about yesterday about how his process of mastering
this offense safety wants to happen down by the end
of this week. What can you guys just receivers do
it to maybe even a lot of that process as well.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
The same thing, just studying every day, trying to one
up him as far as you know, all that stuff
that you were talking about and uh, just being mentally
locked in and you know all that, did.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
You have any kind of expectation of what he would
be like? And how are you find in being this team? Bega,
we're talking about fraud Rogers.
Speaker 6 (06:55):
I never met him before and when I met him,
which is a cool dude, I tell everyone of like
my family, I'm like, this is the coolest guy I
think I ever met.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
And he's truly one of the kind.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
And you know, so far everybody loves him.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
What's an example of lead believers are cool too? Uh,
just being able to talk to him.
Speaker 6 (07:13):
You know, he has so much wisdom and so much experience.
You know, he really treats us like like friends, you know,
off the field and just give us a lot of advice.
And here's a great dude.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
You're lining up outside inside a lot of different places.
Speaker 10 (07:26):
Is that a big part of this offense is your
versus all of you guys's versatility to line up in
different spots, to get different matchups in Arthur Smiths.
Speaker 6 (07:32):
Calls, Yeah, for sure, you know, just being versatile, you know,
not just knowing one position, but knowing the whole big
scheme of things. You know, the how and the why
of the plays and all that.
Speaker 10 (07:43):
Aaron seemed to have a really strong day to day
as far as finding you guys different parts.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Of the field.
Speaker 10 (07:48):
How you what have you appreciated about his process as
far as developing himself and developing with you, with you
guys in your chemistry.
Speaker 6 (07:54):
I appreciate him just taking my game to another level.
Like I say, you know, he's a guy, he's Hall
of Famer, Well not yet, but probably one day. He's
just so smart and I just love to be able
to learn from him and try to elevate my game.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Oh, I mean you've done a couple of good days
of practice. Is that just more opportunities or.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Do you feel you make progress?
Speaker 6 (08:14):
I feel like every day I wake up, I'll make
some progress. You know that's my goal, get one percent
better every day, and you know that's what I plan
to do.
Speaker 5 (08:21):
How about do not feel this was a better practice for.
Speaker 6 (08:25):
I don't know what you mean by better practice.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
It was a good practice. I feel every time I
come on here.
Speaker 6 (08:29):
It has been a good practice, some better than others,
but it's it's always good, you know, a lot of learning.
Speaker 9 (08:34):
The little Howard's ball would have be seen out of
him so far, and have you put it past you know,
him being a buck Eye at this point.
Speaker 6 (08:40):
I was never upset about him being a Buckeye. But
I mean, I love what I say. He's a great dude.
He can sling it. He's a great guy to have run.
Great addition, one did one percent better every day he
could turn into one hundred percent better free.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Rank last year.
Speaker 6 (08:53):
I'm confused by that question.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
You said you get that one. The goal is to
get one percent better? Was that sort of the way?
Speaker 7 (08:58):
It wasn't your.
Speaker 12 (08:59):
Injury and did you need a clip for you know,
I'm back physically.
Speaker 11 (09:03):
Oh.
Speaker 6 (09:04):
I think at some point last season it kind of
clicked for me and off like myself again, especially my ankle.
You know, one thing at a time. At certain points
I was trying to do a little too much. Just
try to get back and it helped. But as far
as football, you know, I just tried to be one
style by the time left for a right for it,
you know, just still progress every day.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson, and it's good to hear
him say, Labs. You know, he really kind of felt
like himself last year towards the end of last season
and could start to trust especially his ankle again. Because
we talked about this in another training camp report. There's
always that mental aspect or you got to trust your
your injury again when you come back. But he kind
of got a chance to work through that in some
practices at the end of last year.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Yes, he did, and it's good that, you know, he
didn't end the season or go into you have to
go into the off season still rehabbing because you know that,
uh or a young player. I think that that's a
little bit more difficult because when you go into the
off season you would like to, as it seems like
(10:07):
he was able to, you know, just work to prepare
his body after being around the NFL for one year
and then going into a second year. If you have
it to rehab, you're not really working on everything. You're
working on that specific injury or that specific joint or
muscle or you know, whatever it might be. So yes,
(10:28):
that was a good thing. I think that may probably
helped him get off to a good start towards his
offseason and contributed probably to where he is right now now.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Rom and Wilson is trying to carve out a role
in that wide receiver room along with some others, and
it looks like he's off to as good a start
as he could probably hope to be right now, but
still a long way to go. One guy whose role
is completely defined as DK Metcalf and labs. We've had
wide receivers in the past couple of years that I've
looked at and said, that guy can become a number one.
He has his ceiling to be a number one. There
(11:02):
were times I thought about that with Deontay Johnson, maybe
less than I did with George Pickens. He was more
of the guy driving the bus as far as that
mindset is concerned, but he never realized it. His attitude
wasn't that of a number one. His production on the
field wasn't that of a number one. But this guy
that you're getting from Seattle checks all of those boxes.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
He's a go to receiver.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
He's someone that you can see Rogers kind of hone
in on and they can get hot together and it
could end up being one of the better tandems we
see in the twenty twenty five seasons.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
Yeah, and I mean I think that you were seeing
some of that work being done here. You know that
Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf got together before training camp
started somewhere. I forget where it was. Maybe it was
California doing some throwing and catching and you know, maybe
(11:55):
laying the foundation for the relationship that you knowquarterbacks like
and need to have with their number one receivers. And
then certainly once coming to Latrobe. I mean, I I'm
not charting it this way, but I would say that
the vast majority of the first snaps in seven shots
(12:16):
have been Aaron Rodgers throwing a DK Metcalf. And that's
how you you know, that's how you develop those kinds
of relationships. I mean, they need to be on the
same wavelength all the time, and you know, these are
the kinds of ways that that happens working on it
out here. I don't know how much they're going to
(12:38):
play together in the in the preseason, but that's what
you want, you know, from your quarterback and your number
one receiver. And these are two guys you know that
they qualify as been there, done that guys. You know,
Dk Metcalf is only twenty seven. Aaron Rodgers is forty one,
(13:00):
So there is an age difference. Aaron, excuse me, Aaron Rodgers.
I almost said Aaron Metcalf. Aaron Rodgers. You know, multiple
winners of MVP Awards, won a Super Bowl. But DK
Metcalf also, you know, he's a two time Pro Bowl guy.
(13:21):
He has three one thousand yard seasons in the league.
He has certainly accomplished some things as an individual player.
And so yeah, you know, it's it's kind of makes
sense that, you know, they're gonna kind of gravitate towards
one another on the field. I think Mike Tomlin kind
(13:43):
of is trying to facilitate that by making them sweet
mates in Rooney Hall. So yeah, there's a lot of
a lot of things going on here on the field
off the field to like to facilitate a Aaron Rodgers
Dk Metcalf relationship.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
I love tom and doing that trying to jumpstart things
like that, because one of the things that is so
fun to watch and really is such a key skill
set of great quarterback wide receiver tandems is they have
that mind meld. Right, we saw that with Ben and
Ab forever. I mean sometimes Ben would just kind of
have to like maybe like put his thumb up real
slily to his knee, and Ab knew that the route
(14:24):
was going to change from a comeback to just go
right into the end zone or something like like they
just knew maybe even just like a look at somebody,
a head nod or something. I know this play didn't
work out, Labs because Dallas unfortunately came down the field
and scored. But the fake spike that Ben pulled off
to Ab, yeah, those two were just those two were
the only two on the field that really knew what
was gonna happen. And you see that when you have
(14:44):
that elite wide receiver and that elite quarterback have time
to work together. Ben and Ab had seasons. You're trying
to jump start this fast with Aaron.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
And DK Yes, and you know that to me would
if you weren't gonna ask me what play? What Roethlisberger
Antonio Brown play really kind of emphasized that kind of
mind meld relationship that they developed. That was going to
be the one that I was gonna mention that fake
spike and then it resulted in a touchdown because I
(15:14):
don't even know if the offensive line right knew exactly
what was going to happen, And when Dan Marino did it,
it was very similar. You have to it has to
be just the two of you, quarterback and receiver, because
if the lineman reacts as if it's going to be
(15:38):
a real play, well then the whole charade of it's
going to be a spike is kind of lost. Because
players on defense aren't necessarily watching the whole offense. They're
often keing on the guy right opposite them, you know,
changing the subject a little bit. It's like a screen pass.
(15:58):
If defensive lineman and you feel that the offensive guy
isn't really trying to block you, sometimes that's a tip
that it's going to be a screen. So the way
that players act on the field often either helps or
hinders the whole deception thing that might be going on.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
DK Metcalf spoke with the media after practice. Let's take
a listen to what wide receiver one had to say.
Speaker 8 (16:28):
I would say it looked like things got a little
chippy out there today.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
How much fun is.
Speaker 8 (16:31):
It, you know, just being able to go after each
other like that on the training campfield.
Speaker 11 (16:36):
I mean, it's always fun when you got to competitive
group on the other side running up across from you
on both sides are talking and backing it up. I
think it just brings out the best competition in people.
And as you saw today, you offense.
Speaker 12 (16:46):
Really what brought out the the best from Clerk on
that player over the middle there.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
I don't know, it was just football, man, you got
to be on the field to know. Yes, the how's
the collaborative process going with Darren Rodgers?
Speaker 12 (16:58):
You know, where do you feel like you're making and
where you would you like to continue to move forward
with that?
Speaker 11 (17:02):
Just the way I'm dealing the defense, I'm looking at
down line and now I'm looking at the safety rotation
and looking at Mike Robert Justins.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Just all those little things that.
Speaker 11 (17:11):
You know I maybe took for granted of before, just
trying to see the whole field. Uh, you know, at
this point of my career with him, trying to see
how he used the defense that I have.
Speaker 8 (17:20):
To this point of him, he said the offense kicks today,
was that an extra pass after yesterday didn't go quite
as well.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
I mean, nobody likes to do it like that.
Speaker 11 (17:27):
Nobody likes to you know, get placed around on the
first day of pass but we took uh took it personal,
clean up our technique stuff like some of our splits.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
And you know, we could made an emphasis in the
meeting room yesterday that you know, we're gonna come out
here and trying to bow.
Speaker 10 (17:42):
You can't seem like Aaron was able to find you guys,
different levels of the of the offense to hit you guys.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I think this is one of the better days.
Speaker 10 (17:47):
What do you appreciate about his process and how he
gets better with you guys each day.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
I mean, everybody know this is you know, a new group.
Speaker 11 (17:54):
We got new faces, new people on offense, still plugging
pieces in and nobody's getting frustrated, you know, trying to
learn together, trying to work together, and it's a steady
stream of communication from the meeting room tower here on
the field. So that's what I appreciate it about, not
just air this whole group. Everybody's you know, open to communication,
open to criticism, and I think that's gonna that's gonna
take us far.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Do you beat Jody in one on ones yesterday? What's
it been like going against him early in campus? Who
is that Joey Oh, He's a good competitor.
Speaker 8 (18:21):
Man.
Speaker 11 (18:21):
He's a tough d bet to go against, long lanky,
and he has speed and he's young, so yeah, he
can definitely keep up with me.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
And I think it's gonna be you know, good to.
Speaker 11 (18:29):
Continue to go against him throughout the you know, coming
weeks leading up to the season.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
I think we're gonna make each other better.
Speaker 11 (18:36):
You've got a lot of your old rivals here with
Sleigh and Ramsey.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Is that something that you've been looking forward to? And
you know we're gonna have fun with this camping.
Speaker 11 (18:44):
Oh yes, sir, because once we get on the field Sunday,
it's gonna be easy because you know, they get to
go against me and I get to go against them,
so they're always making me better with different looks from
Slay to Ramsey to Joey, So get to see everything.
Speaker 12 (18:56):
Like you always talking about how first ever broap words
just seething like that.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
I think it's a scene like that you're yelling in.
Speaker 12 (19:01):
Right here, Mike tom When has talked about how he
want now the defense, but these new additions can play
a lot of man coverage going against these guys in games.
What do you appreciate about their approach and what might
make those defensive act successful in that situation.
Speaker 11 (19:15):
Yea, sir, I mean I like going against competitive people,
and they are a group of competitive people. From the
d line to the linebackers to the DB's like, from
the safeties to the corners. Everybody's talking, everybody's being physical
at the point of the tech. And that's what I
can appreciate going against these guys because I know, you know,
I can't let them down on Sunday. There's no it's
gonna be vice versa once they line up against their
our opponent.
Speaker 9 (19:34):
And I think tomyn talked to us yesterday about mastering
the offense and his progress and that, I mean, obviously
you're new to this offense as well, So how's that
going for you? And how could receivers kind of aid
the quarterback in Kenny things County.
Speaker 11 (19:45):
Just like I hit on earlier, just a steady form
of communication from everybody across the whole line, to the receivers,
to the running backs, to the tight ends, and not
getting discouraged when you have a bad day, because nobody's perfect,
but you're gonna have bad days. As a hell of
a defense that we get to go against every day
that practice, so you know, not getting frustrated with the process.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Just continue to put one foot in front of the other
and continue to.
Speaker 8 (20:04):
Bro For sure, we talked to you. You said that
Aaron walked into your room when you were playing video games.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
He didn't pick up the sticks or anything. If you've
gotten him to play video games yet or hung out
with him anymore.
Speaker 11 (20:14):
No, not me, but y'all, I should check with other
people on the team. They got him pick up the
sticks before.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Are you a little offended he didn't come to play
video games? If you're offended is not the word. You know,
I'm a little salty, But no, man, he's a.
Speaker 11 (20:26):
Good dude off the field, and enjoyed playing with him,
enjoying Paul's and enjoy you know, getting to learn from
him off the field, and you know, just talking to
him about life stuff.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
So he's a real good dude. What if you learned
to buy the offense and Arthur in his offense and
kind of what you want to say stuff.
Speaker 11 (20:42):
I mean, he gives us, you know, pretty much freedom
to you know, win our routes, not trying to pigeonhole us,
pigeonhole us with you know, trying to run around a
certain way, but you know we gotta be on pointing
with the details with eight and dollars, I.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Say it was wide receiver DK Metcalf speaking the media
following practice yesterday. When Labs and I come back, talk
about a quarterback that's getting a ton of hype, who
isn't Aaron Rodgers around Steelers training camp and we'll get
into Friday Night lights, the history behind that and what
you can kind of expect tonight at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.
It's Tom Off for minutes. Bob Labriola on the Training
(21:19):
Camp report, Fox Sports Pittsburgh nine seventy AM and the
Steelers Audio.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
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Training Camp is presented by FedEx where Now meets Next
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Speaker 4 (22:02):
Glad.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Do you know what feels like for the first time
in a few training camps with Aaron Rodgers aboard. Now
there's not really much of a question around the quarterback
or I don't want to say intrigue around him, because
I am intrigued to see how Rogers fits into this
offense and how he's still spending the football. But you know,
in years past, there's been the Kenny and Mitch dynamic.
Then there was Kenny kind of taking the reins how
he's gonna look. Last year we had Russell Wilson get
(22:25):
hurt right away, so then Justin Fields kind of had
to take over. So there was that dynamic about it.
But all is kind of calm when it comes to
the quarterback front, except when you start going down the
depth trot a little bit. And boy, the fans have
really found themselves a favorite already in the rookie out
of Ohio State Will Howard. He gets pops when he
comes onto the field, when he makes big plays, and
(22:45):
it's good. I'm glad for the kid that he's found
a fan base that already has embraced him. But maybe
we want to throw a little bit of cold water
on ourselves.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Just a little bit.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
Well, I mean, you know, you know, fans. The term
comes from the word fanatics for real, and so you know, okay,
I get excited, that's fine. That just bothers me a
little bit that the expectations that are put on this guy.
(23:16):
I mean, people don't they want him to be what
they they want him to be as opposed to seeing
him as he is and rooting for him to develop.
So that's the only thing with me. I mean, you
want to if the guy's a fan favorite, that's fine,
(23:38):
I mean, cheer him, support them, you know, make signs,
think up a catching name for a fan club, all
that stuff, you know, whatever, that's great. But I just
think that, uh, the expectation or I can't think of
(24:00):
the word that I want, the demand or the you know,
the Steelers have to give him this, this and this
opportunity so he can show that he is the answer
as to the long term quarterback solution. You know, I
don't know what Will Howard is going to become. I
really don't. But a lot of times guys get drafted
(24:24):
where they're drafted because the league as a whole has
determined what it believes that player is and can become
you know, there are a lot of there's only one
Tom Brady, you know, that whole getting picked in the
(24:46):
sixth round and becoming the greatest of all time. It
happened once. That's great. But to go in with any
kind of expectation that Will Howard is gonna follow a
similar path, I just don't think it's fair to him.
I just don't. It's don't because I just don't. It's
(25:07):
just not a realistic path to expect of a young
man who is trying to come in and establish himself
as a professional and establish himself at the highest level
of the sport that he wants to play. And he's
also trying to do all of that at the most
difficult position in that sport. So you know, I would
(25:33):
like to I would like fans to just kind of
back off a little bit on him and you know,
let him be Will Howard, Let him be a rookie,
let him grow and work and you know those kind
of things. Hope for the best, and then let's just
have fun with it and see how it all turns out.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
Yeah, I mean, putting the expectations on him like they
have or some have, is it is way unfair I've
said before when we do our podcast, I hate those
comps of legendary players to players coming in. Even if
you're a really talented rookie, it's unfair to say you're
going to be Barry Sanders or you remind somebody of
Emmett Smith. It's just that's almost an impossible bar for
anybody to clear. And when it comes to Will Howard,
(26:16):
you know you mentioned how fans might want to see
enough from him to let them have the impression that
he is going to be the quarterback moving forward. Well,
if all things go well for the Steelers this year,
he won't even sniff the field. He won't even be
more than the emergency third string quarterback. If things go
a little sideways and Rogers hasn't missed some time, I'm
not going to hand things over to Will Howard to
(26:38):
try to keep their season afloat. That's why they brought
back somebody that they're so familiar with, in a veteran
in Mason Rudolph, to be the backup. So if you
do see playing time for Will Howard this year, things
have gone catastrophically wrong.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
Yes, couldn't have said it better myself, truthfully. I mean
the best I think best outcome of this season or
Will Howard and his development would be for him to
be the third string quarterback every week and then hopefully
that extends into you know, a couple of weeks in
the playoffs, and he needs to learn, you know, and
(27:16):
he can watch not only learn the game, but also
watch how a couple of professionals handle that job on
a week by week basis through a regular season. You know,
how they prepare, learn the game plan, maybe contribute to
the formulation of the game plan, how they watch video.
(27:38):
All of those kinds of things are critical at the
quarterback position if you want to be successful in the NFL.
And I just you know, I think that guys have
to learn, They have to see it happen, they have
to experience it. Sometimes it helps them to watch others
do it, and that helps the learning process. You know, Yes,
(27:59):
Ben went, you know, thirteen and oh or whatever, it
was his first starts number of starts as an NFL quarterback.
But again, you know, we're talking about a first ballot
Hall of Fame guy, multiple Super Bowl winners, eleventh pick
of the draft. You know, just because it has been
done once doesn't mean that that should be or should
(28:23):
expect it to be your path, and it doesn't mean
it's going to happen again.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
When we come back on the other side of the break,
we'll talk about Friday night lights, but we do want
to play a little bit of will Howard jump the
gun a little bit there. He did speak with the
media yesterday and he was talking about how kind of
that fan interaction has been cool to see, and speaking
on seeing some of that buckeye red kind of dot
into the black and yellow at some of Steelers practices.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
You know, it's not surprising.
Speaker 7 (28:50):
It's pretty pretty split hat in half and half with
Penn State and Ohio stage and we're kind of right
in the middle.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
But yeah, it's cool.
Speaker 7 (28:56):
I mean that the red sticks out like a sore
thum for sure.
Speaker 8 (28:59):
What have you heard about Friday night? It's lights practice tomorrow.
What are you looking forward to most? Obviously, with being
so well received by fans, to be this is a
big prod.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
I'm excited.
Speaker 7 (29:06):
I haven't heard much other than that it's on Friday night,
it's under the lights, and yeah, I'm excited. There'll be
a lot of fans there, and I don't know what
to expect other than playing football, just show up and be.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
Ready to play.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
Do you have your own favorite high school football memory
from your days under the light?
Speaker 7 (29:22):
Yeah, definitely my last game at my home stadium. My
senior year, we played our rival Coatsville and we had
never beat them, and my four years of playing we
never beat them. My junior year, I got hurt against them.
Earlier in my senior year we lost against them on
like a you know, a last second kind of deal,
and so we got them back in the district championship.
(29:43):
My last game at home, it was it was pretty sweet.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
You see that dKon culbination taking.
Speaker 11 (29:50):
The stuff from over different single day, and so it's
like every day we had something to.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
Book the sin. Yeah, no, I think it.
Speaker 7 (29:59):
They're definitely working pretty well together, and you know, I
knew wasn't gonna happen right away. You know, anything like that,
you got to develop chemistry and develop you know, that togetherness,
and those two spend a lot of time together and
they have a really good relationship. And like you said,
I think they're just getting better every day and they're
gonna continue to have better will Friday night lights at
high school field? Are you worried at all the Jacksawyer
is going to try to take the ball and they
(30:20):
start taking snaps under center, growing deep passes.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Yeah, well we'll see.
Speaker 7 (30:25):
We'll see if he if he wants to do that
along those lines, Do you have a favorite high school
football memory? I just said it.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Oh, no, you're good will.
Speaker 10 (30:33):
When you're trying to build chemistry with the wide receiver, obviously,
rips are invaluable.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Within each rip, what are you looking for?
Speaker 10 (30:38):
Body language, how they're running the routes.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
How do you kind of build that with innut.
Speaker 7 (30:44):
I think it really depends on the play. You know,
whether it's a man route his own route. You know,
every every play is different. I can't say there's one thing,
but really it's just being on the same page at
all times and and knowing what I'm thinking, what they're thinking,
and knowing that our thinking is aligne And I think
that's the biggest part. And the only way to do
that is to talk about it, to walk through and
(31:05):
to get reps and to continue to develop those relationships.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
What have you seen from Rock Taylor Zeld blair Man.
Speaker 7 (31:11):
He's making some plays and you know, when the ball
goes his way, it seems like good things are happening.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard just got to be a
Sponge this year, soak up as much as he can.
And he's got a great person at the top of
that depth chart to learn from in Aaron Rodgers. When
Labs and I come back, we'll talk about Friday night lights.
The practice is tonight one of the marquee moments of Steelers'
training camp, maybe the marquee moment of Steelers' training camp.
(31:37):
So we'll set the table for that, talk about the
great history behind that practice and much more. It's the
Training Camp Report on Fox Sports Pittsburgh nine seventy AM
and the Steelers Audio.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Network Iheartradios Live coverage job not twenty twenty five Steelers
Training Camp. He's presented by Faedex Now meets next and
also brought to you by Cger Wholesale Roofing and Sighting
Supply Center, by Tom's Appliances, by Always Safe Flagging and
(32:10):
Traffic Control by Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, by Schneider Downs,
by Hasa's Steak and Seahouse, by your Neighborhood Forward Store,
by Castle Rock, by Clearview Federal Credit Union, and by
US steel.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Tom off Ran and Bob Labriol on the Training Camp Report.
Usually we're wrapping up and Steelers practice is going to
get started right at the conclusion of our show, but
that will not be the case today as it is
a special occasion. It is Friday night lights over at
Latrobe Memorial Stadium and Labs. This has been something that
the Steelers have been doing for a long time. Now
you can tell me exactly how long in just a second,
(32:46):
but it really kind of caught on right away and
has just grown in popularity and now it's just become tradition.
Started with Bill Kauer.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
Correct, yes, but let me just take it back a
little bit more. Yeah, the seed was planned I believe
Chuck Noll and Joe Gibbs when Joe Gibbs was the
coach with Washington Redskins. They had a very good professional
and personal relationship, and the two coaches decided that joint
practices would be a nice idea. So the first couple
(33:18):
of those, the Steelers traveled to Carlisle, PA on buses
Dickinson College and competed against the Redskins had some practices,
so then you know, the return the favor thing came
around and at that time, you know, to make it
worth their while. The day at Dickinson you know, started
(33:38):
mid to late morning and then it ended with a
night scrimmage under the lights on the field, and then
the Steelers would stay over and then leave early the
next morning to come back to Latrobe. So in an
effort to try and do something similar, provide a similar
experience here in Latrobe, you know, there were lights at
(34:00):
all at that time at Saint Vincent College on the fields.
So the Steelers explored the possibility of going to La
Trope Stadium because that was the nearest football field that
had lights. And so actually the first time the Steelers
went to La Trobe Stadium in a you know, a
(34:20):
nighttime competitive kind of training camp situation was against the
Washington Redskins, you know, late eighties, early nineties. Okay, So
then now Chuck Noll retires at the end of the
nineteen ninety one season, Bill Cower is hired in nineteen
ninety two. Bill Cower's idea was that he wanted to
(34:42):
try and replicate what players faced during a regular season,
and by that I mean different kickoff times for games
and so you know, all that went into that you know,
you prepare your body in a different way for a
one o'clock game maybe versus a four o'clock game versus
(35:04):
a night game. And so, uh, Bill Kauer wanted to
try and replicate that as best you can in the
training camp setting, and so he thought it would be
a good idea to have a night practice somewhere. Once again,
there was still were no lights on campus here and
so because of you know, the seed that Chuck Nole
had planted with going to La Trope Stadium and it
(35:27):
kind of worked out, Okay, that became a possibility. And so, yes,
Bill Kauer is the man who the coach who came
up with the idea for a night practice at Latrope
Stadium for the Steelers as part of training camp every year.
You know, the whole Friday Night Light's name. And you
(35:52):
know how it became.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
That kind of larger than life.
Speaker 4 (35:55):
Yeah, yes, was had to do with, first of all,
the TV series at the time and the book and
the fact that the way you got there was on
the yellow school buses, you know, Friday Night Lights. The
book and the TV series was about a high school
football program and all of these guys on try not
(36:18):
for the Steelers or as Steelers played high school football obviously,
and so there was a natural familiarity for them with
them in what riding to a stadium. It was a
high school stadium too, in yellow school buses. Meant, you know,
they took their they would carry their equipment on the buses.
(36:40):
I mean that still happens. And so, yeah, the Friday
night lights. That's how the name came about. And so
you know, the first few Bill Kauer tried to make
it special for the fans and the players, and so
he would structure the practice in a little bit of
(37:02):
a different way and it always culminated with a period
of goal line and Bill Kuer practice, goal line was
the only live tackling drill, and it wasn't held every
practice like Mike Tomlin does with seven shots or tackle football,
(37:23):
but still it was very much anticipated and there were
some there were some memorable instances of things happening during
goal line at La Trope Stadium. I'll just tell you
some of the ones that I remember. This was, you know,
looking at it chronologically, it was probably nineteen ninety five
(37:47):
or nineteen ninety six. One of the goal line plays,
Cordell Stewart was under center, and so the play instead
of you know, a typical either run the play, run
the ball, or throw the ball, it was it was
an option kind of thing, which Cordel Stewart did very
well during his college days at Colorado. And so you know,
(38:10):
you get to stand at the time, you're standing right there.
I mean I was three feet off the sideline maybe,
and Cortell Stewart's running right at me. And Chad Brown,
another former Colorado player, was a linebacker at the time,
so he's coming over hard to try and keep Cordell
(38:31):
Stewart out of the end zone. And it was you know,
it happened really fast, and because I was standing there
so close, you really got to see it and how
it impacted the players. Cortel Stewart kind of pretended like
he was going to pitch the ball on a triple option,
(38:51):
you know, to the outside, only it was a fake
and he cut up inside and got in the end zone.
He just kind of froze all the players, including Chad Brown,
who were coming up to make that play on defense.
So that was one I remembered. Then there was some
just you know, regular seismic collisions. Jerome Bettis and Kendrew Bell,
(39:16):
who was a number one pick, number to two pick
in two thousand and one. I believe, yes, he was
defensive Rookie of the year. He was an inside linebacker.
You know, Jerome was coming downhill and Kendrew Bell, that
was his forte linebacker from Georgia. Find the ball, hit
(39:38):
the guy with the ball, get him on the ground.
That was what he did, very well, very quick, very athletic,
hard hitter. You could hear that one all over Westmoreland County.
Then later in the two thousands, again Jerome Betts against
Earl Holmes, another inside linebacker who was a very physical guy,
(39:59):
runs stopper. That was a collision, unbelievable collision. Mike Tomlin
has changed it a little bit in terms of rather
than constructing a practice around the fact that it's Friday
night lights, he has a normal practice only with some
(40:22):
drills that are regular drills that he uses, you know,
maybe as a feature to that. So, you know, I
think we're going to see backs on backers. It remains
to be seen though what version of it we're going
to see. Is it going to be a repeat of
(40:45):
the offense trying to pass block, or is it going
to be the other version of it, which forces the
defense into coverage, so that that's going to be interesting
to me to see. Also sometimes you know, there will
be tackle football tonight too, I'm sure, which isn't goal line.
(41:06):
It's more out on the field, but it's still primarily
running the football and tackling the guy with the ball.
And you know, outside of that, it's you know, there's
special teams. There's a lot of things that are normal
parts of a football practice, and you know, some fans
(41:28):
might look at them as boring, but you know they're
necessary and the fans love it. There's an autograph session
that kind of started during the Bill Kuer era because
the all of the that there you have to pay
to get in. Fans have to pay. But all the
(41:50):
money when it started went to the Westmoreland County United Way.
That was the where the proceeds went. And then as
it evolved more into the Mike Tomlin area Mark Tomlin
Ahra excuse me, it became less of a charity but
more as a fundraiser for the schools in the Latrobe
(42:13):
School District. So you know, it's it's still not a
thing where the Steelers are going there to make any money,
you know, And the other thing that has evolved, and
it never ceases to amaze me. And I forget how
long ago, four or five years ago. Maybe the institution
(42:35):
of club seats. Okay, everybody, fans know what club seats
are there, you know, special seats in the stadium where
people are afforded more perks than other people in the stadium. Now, again,
as I.
Speaker 6 (42:49):
Said, this is a high school, high school field.
Speaker 4 (42:51):
Okay, So the club seats at Latrobe Stadium are on
the visitors side and all they are are folding chairs
lined up about I don't know, ten feet twelve feet
off the sideline because you don't want to get anyone killed,
and there's a single line of chairs. They go from
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
It's like having court side seats at an NBA game.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
Yes, yes, maybe twenty yard line to twenty yard line,
twenty five yard line, the twenty five yard line, something
like that. And at one time when it started, as
I said that, the admission now I think has gone
up to ten dollars for regular fans. Club seats. I
(43:34):
remember at one time I was told they were one
hundred dollars each. They are sold out, sold out, so
people are serious about this, uh, and people plan their
vacations around this.
Speaker 8 (43:50):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (43:51):
There's not a lot of messing around with it. And
it should be quite a show tonight. And as I said,
it'll culminate with Zambelle fireworks so you can see those.
You can see those from campus.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
That's gonna be such a great event as it always is.
And it looks like the weather is going to be good.
Knock on wood, so we hopefully we get it all
in and I mean get a funnel cake too, right, Labs, like,
let's not, let's not undertill the concessions out there too.
I'm sure that funnel case, lemonades, all that good stuff.
Speaker 4 (44:20):
Yeah, and there's food trucks.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
See, it's just it's like a carnival really well.
Speaker 4 (44:24):
And Chad Tyson from DV there now, I mean, and
they have the blow up you V blimp thing, yeah
there you go.
Speaker 3 (44:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (44:33):
Yes, So, as I said, it's a it's a big
event and it has really become an all day event.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Can't wait for that. And Labs and I will be
back again tomorrow to recap Friday night Lights practice at noon,
our usual time on the Training Camp Report. Thanks for listening.
For thanks for listening to us today. Hand things off
to the Drive with Matt Williamson and Wes Euler. Next,
you're listening to Fox Sports Pittsburgh nine seventy a m.
And the Steelers Audio Network.
iHeartRadio's live coverage Job Not twenty twenty five Steelers Training
Camp is presented by Fadex where Now meets Next and
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(00:25):
Highlands Visitors Bureau, we Max, Select Realty, the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pro Shop, and by us Steel.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Tom up from An and Bob Labriola on the Training
Camp Report. Steelers Friday Night Lights practice tonight at La
Trobe Memorial Stadium. Later on in the hour, Labs and
I will give you a great look at Friday Night Lights,
the history behind.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
It, what to expect, all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
But before we get their labs, someone who really shone
through or shined through. However, you say that I'm not
a wordsmith, although I'm on the radio, so maybe I
should admit that Rome Wilson, we touched on him a
little bit, had a big play, really started to make
his mark. And you need to see that from someone,
whether it's a Wilson in Austin, although you saw it
(01:09):
from him a little bit in games last year of
Robert Woods, there's playing time to be had at that
wide receiver position, and other than DK and the tight
ends that we've talked about already, someone needs to make
a big impression and looks like Wilson's the first horse
out of the barn on that one in this training camp.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Yeah, but as you mentioned, Calvin Austin has shown some
of that in games, so that kind of, in my opinion,
that would put him above you know, however you're ranking them,
that would put him higher because you know, if you've
done it in a regular season game at least, and
I think Calvin Austin did in a couple regular season
(01:47):
games last year, maybe even one the year before, that
puts you ahead of someone who is you know, working
on doing that in their first game of their NFL career.
And yeah, I am very willing to give Roman Wilson
his props for the way he worked on his body
(02:07):
during the offseason and then what he showed yesterday in
that kind of like wow moment getting behind Joey Porter
Junior making a contested catch deep down the field in
the end zone for a touchdown. But that doesn't mean
that he's arrived either. I mean, this is that's one.
You know, one is you know you need you need
(02:30):
more than one so that it becomes a trend or
a habit or you know, really part of your repertoire.
So again I'm not running down Roman Wilson at all,
but that was the first step. Good for him. Now
you got to build on that.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Preferably do it in pads maybe tonight at Friday night lights.
Then preferably do it in Jacksonville and then in Tampa Bay.
Right like you can just slowly. You don't have to
immediately arrive on the scene and become the Steelers' number
two wide receiver. It doesn't have to be. You better
get up to speed, and you better get there by
week one against the Jets, and we're going to forget
about you. It can be a bit of a slow
build this year. But if he stays healthy, which was
(03:09):
the problem last year, you know, you're just going to
get more and more opportunities the more plays you make.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Yeah, and you know that's staying healthy thing is so
huge because especially at this time of the year, because
when you stay healthy, that means you can continue to practice,
which means you can continue to work on your craft,
which means you can continue to improve. I mean that's
what totally ruined Roman Wilson's rooky year. He was standing
around watching and so yet you know, you can't really
(03:39):
develop then it's just not possible. It's not the way
it works. And so yeah, this is you know, looking
at Roman Wilson where he is now, where the Steelers
and the fans want him to be. I think one
of the critical things along that road getting from here
to there is him remaining healthy to be able to
(04:04):
continue to practice. You get the repetitions that helps you
improve individually. It also gets you you get the repetitions
you're working with others around you, not only the quarterbacks,
but also your fellow receivers. You're working against not only
the man who's covering you, but the defensive coverage as
(04:25):
a whole. These are all things you need to develop
yourself into a guy that the coaches look at you
and say he's ready to play.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Roman Wilson chatted with the media after yesterday's practice. It's
a big year for him, a big training camp for him.
Let's hear how the receiver said it's going so far
and what's on the horizon for him?
Speaker 5 (04:47):
I mean about that rep on Joey that you have
where he scored a touchdowns?
Speaker 6 (04:51):
You want on ones depot just go get in mentality?
Speaker 5 (04:54):
Did you get right feel good to? I mean he's
one of the starting courters. Feel good to go up
and get if at one moment?
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, for sure?
Speaker 1 (05:02):
What do you is that.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Kind of play you can build off?
Speaker 7 (05:05):
Roman?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
You got to cheer from the crowd. Everybody saw it.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
Yeah, I mean that was a great play. Knowing me,
I loving the fans out here. I love their reactions
to everything, the good and the bad. And I feel
like every rep I take out there, I can, you know,
build from it, you know, no matter.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
What it is.
Speaker 8 (05:20):
What do you appreciate about the chance to just beat
up physical on a day like this in training camp,
the buildings, your.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Fellow or your dbs.
Speaker 6 (05:26):
What do I appreciate that?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
What do you.
Speaker 8 (05:27):
Appreciate about just being able to beat out physical.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
In those moments?
Speaker 6 (05:29):
I really love how competitive is this year guys are
getting after I love to be a part of it.
Feels good to be back.
Speaker 9 (05:36):
Mike's talking sent it a couple of times. I'm thinking
the camp this is for you?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
How do you respond to that?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (05:41):
Just every day being locked in my routine, taking it
one day at a time, just really being being here
in the trope, you know, not mentally being somewhere else,
just being right here and focus on practice every day.
Speaker 10 (05:53):
What's the biggest difference for you outside?
Speaker 3 (05:57):
I feel like it's kind of the same thing.
Speaker 6 (05:58):
You know, working this thing kind of meats and you know,
just really working on getting open and making them play.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
From my TV, how much have you worked on getting
off Presscott has been some of you guys can work on.
Speaker 6 (06:07):
Oh, I feel like we're working on it all the time,
you know, Zee, that's a big thing, Throm and.
Speaker 11 (06:11):
That's what we do.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
How have you picked up so far from the dk uh?
Speaker 6 (06:16):
Just kind of his experience and the way he's so physical.
I like to really watch him if probably high points
the ball, and just as the style of the play,
you know, how he finishes, how physically he is, and
you know his wont He's just he's an elite player
and I love to learn from him.
Speaker 9 (06:29):
Aaron talked about yesterday about how his process of mastering
this offense safety wants to happen down by the end
of this week. What can you guys just receivers do
it to maybe even a lot of that process as well.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
The same thing, just studying every day, trying to one
up him as far as you know, all that stuff
that you were talking about and uh, just being mentally
locked in and you know all that, did.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
You have any kind of expectation of what he would
be like? And how are you find in being this team? Bega,
we're talking about fraud Rogers.
Speaker 6 (06:55):
I never met him before and when I met him,
which is a cool dude, I tell everyone of like
my family, I'm like, this is the coolest guy I
think I ever met.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
And he's truly one of the kind.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
And you know, so far everybody loves him.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
What's an example of lead believers are cool too? Uh,
just being able to talk to him.
Speaker 6 (07:13):
You know, he has so much wisdom and so much experience.
You know, he really treats us like like friends, you know,
off the field and just give us a lot of advice.
And here's a great dude.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
You're lining up outside inside a lot of different places.
Speaker 10 (07:26):
Is that a big part of this offense is your
versus all of you guys's versatility to line up in
different spots, to get different matchups in Arthur Smiths.
Speaker 6 (07:32):
Calls, Yeah, for sure, you know, just being versatile, you know,
not just knowing one position, but knowing the whole big
scheme of things. You know, the how and the why
of the plays and all that.
Speaker 10 (07:43):
Aaron seemed to have a really strong day to day
as far as finding you guys different parts.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Of the field.
Speaker 10 (07:48):
How you what have you appreciated about his process as
far as developing himself and developing with you, with you
guys in your chemistry.
Speaker 6 (07:54):
I appreciate him just taking my game to another level.
Like I say, you know, he's a guy, he's Hall
of Famer, Well not yet, but probably one day. He's
just so smart and I just love to be able
to learn from him and try to elevate my game.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Oh, I mean you've done a couple of good days
of practice. Is that just more opportunities or.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Do you feel you make progress?
Speaker 6 (08:14):
I feel like every day I wake up, I'll make
some progress. You know that's my goal, get one percent
better every day, and you know that's what I plan
to do.
Speaker 5 (08:21):
How about do not feel this was a better practice for.
Speaker 6 (08:25):
I don't know what you mean by better practice.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
It was a good practice. I feel every time I
come on here.
Speaker 6 (08:29):
It has been a good practice, some better than others,
but it's it's always good, you know, a lot of learning.
Speaker 9 (08:34):
The little Howard's ball would have be seen out of
him so far, and have you put it past you know,
him being a buck Eye at this point.
Speaker 6 (08:40):
I was never upset about him being a Buckeye. But
I mean, I love what I say. He's a great dude.
He can sling it. He's a great guy to have run.
Great addition, one did one percent better every day he
could turn into one hundred percent better free.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Rank last year.
Speaker 6 (08:53):
I'm confused by that question.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
You said you get that one. The goal is to
get one percent better? Was that sort of the way?
Speaker 7 (08:58):
It wasn't your.
Speaker 12 (08:59):
Injury and did you need a clip for you know,
I'm back physically.
Speaker 11 (09:03):
Oh.
Speaker 6 (09:04):
I think at some point last season it kind of
clicked for me and off like myself again, especially my ankle.
You know, one thing at a time. At certain points
I was trying to do a little too much. Just
try to get back and it helped. But as far
as football, you know, I just tried to be one
style by the time left for a right for it,
you know, just still progress every day.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson, and it's good to hear
him say, Labs. You know, he really kind of felt
like himself last year towards the end of last season
and could start to trust especially his ankle again. Because
we talked about this in another training camp report. There's
always that mental aspect or you got to trust your
your injury again when you come back. But he kind
of got a chance to work through that in some
practices at the end of last year.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Yes, he did, and it's good that, you know, he
didn't end the season or go into you have to
go into the off season still rehabbing because you know that,
uh or a young player. I think that that's a
little bit more difficult because when you go into the
off season you would like to, as it seems like
(10:07):
he was able to, you know, just work to prepare
his body after being around the NFL for one year
and then going into a second year. If you have
it to rehab, you're not really working on everything. You're
working on that specific injury or that specific joint or
muscle or you know, whatever it might be. So yes,
(10:28):
that was a good thing. I think that may probably
helped him get off to a good start towards his
offseason and contributed probably to where he is right now now.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Rom and Wilson is trying to carve out a role
in that wide receiver room along with some others, and
it looks like he's off to as good a start
as he could probably hope to be right now, but
still a long way to go. One guy whose role
is completely defined as DK Metcalf and labs. We've had
wide receivers in the past couple of years that I've
looked at and said, that guy can become a number one.
He has his ceiling to be a number one. There
(11:02):
were times I thought about that with Deontay Johnson, maybe
less than I did with George Pickens. He was more
of the guy driving the bus as far as that
mindset is concerned, but he never realized it. His attitude
wasn't that of a number one. His production on the
field wasn't that of a number one. But this guy
that you're getting from Seattle checks all of those boxes.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
He's a go to receiver.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
He's someone that you can see Rogers kind of hone
in on and they can get hot together and it
could end up being one of the better tandems we
see in the twenty twenty five seasons.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
Yeah, and I mean I think that you were seeing
some of that work being done here. You know that
Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf got together before training camp
started somewhere. I forget where it was. Maybe it was
California doing some throwing and catching and you know, maybe
(11:55):
laying the foundation for the relationship that you knowquarterbacks like
and need to have with their number one receivers. And
then certainly once coming to Latrobe. I mean, I I'm
not charting it this way, but I would say that
the vast majority of the first snaps in seven shots
(12:16):
have been Aaron Rodgers throwing a DK Metcalf. And that's
how you you know, that's how you develop those kinds
of relationships. I mean, they need to be on the
same wavelength all the time, and you know, these are
the kinds of ways that that happens working on it
out here. I don't know how much they're going to
(12:38):
play together in the in the preseason, but that's what
you want, you know, from your quarterback and your number
one receiver. And these are two guys you know that
they qualify as been there, done that guys. You know,
Dk Metcalf is only twenty seven. Aaron Rodgers is forty one,
(13:00):
So there is an age difference. Aaron, excuse me, Aaron Rodgers.
I almost said Aaron Metcalf. Aaron Rodgers. You know, multiple
winners of MVP Awards, won a Super Bowl. But DK
Metcalf also, you know, he's a two time Pro Bowl guy.
(13:21):
He has three one thousand yard seasons in the league.
He has certainly accomplished some things as an individual player.
And so yeah, you know, it's it's kind of makes
sense that, you know, they're gonna kind of gravitate towards
one another on the field. I think Mike Tomlin kind
(13:43):
of is trying to facilitate that by making them sweet
mates in Rooney Hall. So yeah, there's a lot of
a lot of things going on here on the field
off the field to like to facilitate a Aaron Rodgers
Dk Metcalf relationship.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
I love tom and doing that trying to jumpstart things
like that, because one of the things that is so
fun to watch and really is such a key skill
set of great quarterback wide receiver tandems is they have
that mind meld. Right, we saw that with Ben and
Ab forever. I mean sometimes Ben would just kind of
have to like maybe like put his thumb up real
slily to his knee, and Ab knew that the route
(14:24):
was going to change from a comeback to just go
right into the end zone or something like like they
just knew maybe even just like a look at somebody,
a head nod or something. I know this play didn't
work out, Labs because Dallas unfortunately came down the field
and scored. But the fake spike that Ben pulled off
to Ab, yeah, those two were just those two were
the only two on the field that really knew what
was gonna happen. And you see that when you have
(14:44):
that elite wide receiver and that elite quarterback have time
to work together. Ben and Ab had seasons. You're trying
to jump start this fast with Aaron.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
And DK Yes, and you know that to me would
if you weren't gonna ask me what play? What Roethlisberger
Antonio Brown play really kind of emphasized that kind of
mind meld relationship that they developed. That was going to
be the one that I was gonna mention that fake
spike and then it resulted in a touchdown because I
(15:14):
don't even know if the offensive line right knew exactly
what was going to happen, And when Dan Marino did it,
it was very similar. You have to it has to
be just the two of you, quarterback and receiver, because
if the lineman reacts as if it's going to be
(15:38):
a real play, well then the whole charade of it's
going to be a spike is kind of lost. Because
players on defense aren't necessarily watching the whole offense. They're
often keing on the guy right opposite them, you know,
changing the subject a little bit. It's like a screen pass.
(15:58):
If defensive lineman and you feel that the offensive guy
isn't really trying to block you, sometimes that's a tip
that it's going to be a screen. So the way
that players act on the field often either helps or
hinders the whole deception thing that might be going on.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
DK Metcalf spoke with the media after practice. Let's take
a listen to what wide receiver one had to say.
Speaker 8 (16:28):
I would say it looked like things got a little
chippy out there today.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
How much fun is.
Speaker 8 (16:31):
It, you know, just being able to go after each
other like that on the training campfield.
Speaker 11 (16:36):
I mean, it's always fun when you got to competitive
group on the other side running up across from you
on both sides are talking and backing it up. I
think it just brings out the best competition in people.
And as you saw today, you offense.
Speaker 12 (16:46):
Really what brought out the the best from Clerk on
that player over the middle there.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
I don't know, it was just football, man, you got
to be on the field to know. Yes, the how's
the collaborative process going with Darren Rodgers?
Speaker 12 (16:58):
You know, where do you feel like you're making and
where you would you like to continue to move forward
with that?
Speaker 11 (17:02):
Just the way I'm dealing the defense, I'm looking at
down line and now I'm looking at the safety rotation
and looking at Mike Robert Justins.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Just all those little things that.
Speaker 11 (17:11):
You know I maybe took for granted of before, just
trying to see the whole field. Uh, you know, at
this point of my career with him, trying to see
how he used the defense that I have.
Speaker 8 (17:20):
To this point of him, he said the offense kicks today,
was that an extra pass after yesterday didn't go quite
as well.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
I mean, nobody likes to do it like that.
Speaker 11 (17:27):
Nobody likes to you know, get placed around on the
first day of pass but we took uh took it personal,
clean up our technique stuff like some of our splits.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
And you know, we could made an emphasis in the
meeting room yesterday that you know, we're gonna come out
here and trying to bow.
Speaker 10 (17:42):
You can't seem like Aaron was able to find you guys,
different levels of the of the offense to hit you guys.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I think this is one of the better days.
Speaker 10 (17:47):
What do you appreciate about his process and how he
gets better with you guys each day.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
I mean, everybody know this is you know, a new group.
Speaker 11 (17:54):
We got new faces, new people on offense, still plugging
pieces in and nobody's getting frustrated, you know, trying to
learn together, trying to work together, and it's a steady
stream of communication from the meeting room tower here on
the field. So that's what I appreciate it about, not
just air this whole group. Everybody's you know, open to communication,
open to criticism, and I think that's gonna that's gonna
take us far.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Do you beat Jody in one on ones yesterday? What's
it been like going against him early in campus? Who
is that Joey Oh, He's a good competitor.
Speaker 8 (18:21):
Man.
Speaker 11 (18:21):
He's a tough d bet to go against, long lanky,
and he has speed and he's young, so yeah, he
can definitely keep up with me.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
And I think it's gonna be you know, good to.
Speaker 11 (18:29):
Continue to go against him throughout the you know, coming
weeks leading up to the season.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
I think we're gonna make each other better.
Speaker 11 (18:36):
You've got a lot of your old rivals here with
Sleigh and Ramsey.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Is that something that you've been looking forward to? And
you know we're gonna have fun with this camping.
Speaker 11 (18:44):
Oh yes, sir, because once we get on the field Sunday,
it's gonna be easy because you know, they get to
go against me and I get to go against them,
so they're always making me better with different looks from
Slay to Ramsey to Joey, So get to see everything.
Speaker 12 (18:56):
Like you always talking about how first ever broap words
just seething like that.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
I think it's a scene like that you're yelling in.
Speaker 12 (19:01):
Right here, Mike tom When has talked about how he
want now the defense, but these new additions can play
a lot of man coverage going against these guys in games.
What do you appreciate about their approach and what might
make those defensive act successful in that situation.
Speaker 11 (19:15):
Yea, sir, I mean I like going against competitive people,
and they are a group of competitive people. From the
d line to the linebackers to the DB's like, from
the safeties to the corners. Everybody's talking, everybody's being physical
at the point of the tech. And that's what I
can appreciate going against these guys because I know, you know,
I can't let them down on Sunday. There's no it's
gonna be vice versa once they line up against their
our opponent.
Speaker 9 (19:34):
And I think tomyn talked to us yesterday about mastering
the offense and his progress and that, I mean, obviously
you're new to this offense as well, So how's that
going for you? And how could receivers kind of aid
the quarterback in Kenny things County.
Speaker 11 (19:45):
Just like I hit on earlier, just a steady form
of communication from everybody across the whole line, to the receivers,
to the running backs, to the tight ends, and not
getting discouraged when you have a bad day, because nobody's perfect,
but you're gonna have bad days. As a hell of
a defense that we get to go against every day
that practice, so you know, not getting frustrated with the process.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Just continue to put one foot in front of the other
and continue to.
Speaker 8 (20:04):
Bro For sure, we talked to you. You said that
Aaron walked into your room when you were playing video games.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
He didn't pick up the sticks or anything. If you've
gotten him to play video games yet or hung out
with him anymore.
Speaker 11 (20:14):
No, not me, but y'all, I should check with other
people on the team. They got him pick up the
sticks before.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Are you a little offended he didn't come to play
video games? If you're offended is not the word. You know,
I'm a little salty, But no, man, he's a.
Speaker 11 (20:26):
Good dude off the field, and enjoyed playing with him,
enjoying Paul's and enjoy you know, getting to learn from
him off the field, and you know, just talking to
him about life stuff.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
So he's a real good dude. What if you learned
to buy the offense and Arthur in his offense and
kind of what you want to say stuff.
Speaker 11 (20:42):
I mean, he gives us, you know, pretty much freedom
to you know, win our routes, not trying to pigeonhole us,
pigeonhole us with you know, trying to run around a
certain way, but you know we gotta be on pointing
with the details with eight and dollars, I.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Say it was wide receiver DK Metcalf speaking the media
following practice yesterday. When Labs and I come back, talk
about a quarterback that's getting a ton of hype, who
isn't Aaron Rodgers around Steelers training camp and we'll get
into Friday Night lights, the history behind that and what
you can kind of expect tonight at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.
It's Tom Off for minutes. Bob Labriola on the Training
(21:19):
Camp report, Fox Sports Pittsburgh nine seventy AM and the
Steelers Audio.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Network Iheartradios Live coverage job about twenty twenty five. Steelers
Training Camp is presented by FedEx where Now meets Next
and also brought to you by CGR Wholesale Roofing and
Siding Supply Center, by Tom's Appliances, by Always Safe Flagging
(21:46):
and Traffic Control by Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, by
Schneider Downs, by Hassa's Steak and Seahouse, by your Neighborhood
Forward Store, by Castle Rock, by Clearview Federal Credit Union,
and by US steel.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
Glad.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Do you know what feels like for the first time
in a few training camps with Aaron Rodgers aboard. Now
there's not really much of a question around the quarterback
or I don't want to say intrigue around him, because
I am intrigued to see how Rogers fits into this
offense and how he's still spending the football. But you know,
in years past, there's been the Kenny and Mitch dynamic.
Then there was Kenny kind of taking the reins how
he's gonna look. Last year we had Russell Wilson get
(22:25):
hurt right away, so then Justin Fields kind of had
to take over. So there was that dynamic about it.
But all is kind of calm when it comes to
the quarterback front, except when you start going down the
depth trot a little bit. And boy, the fans have
really found themselves a favorite already in the rookie out
of Ohio State Will Howard. He gets pops when he
comes onto the field, when he makes big plays, and
(22:45):
it's good. I'm glad for the kid that he's found
a fan base that already has embraced him. But maybe
we want to throw a little bit of cold water
on ourselves.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Just a little bit.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
Well, I mean, you know, you know, fans. The term
comes from the word fanatics for real, and so you know, okay,
I get excited, that's fine. That just bothers me a
little bit that the expectations that are put on this guy.
(23:16):
I mean, people don't they want him to be what
they they want him to be as opposed to seeing
him as he is and rooting for him to develop.
So that's the only thing with me. I mean, you
want to if the guy's a fan favorite, that's fine,
(23:38):
I mean, cheer him, support them, you know, make signs,
think up a catching name for a fan club, all
that stuff, you know, whatever, that's great. But I just
think that, uh, the expectation or I can't think of
(24:00):
the word that I want, the demand or the you know,
the Steelers have to give him this, this and this
opportunity so he can show that he is the answer
as to the long term quarterback solution. You know, I
don't know what Will Howard is going to become. I
really don't. But a lot of times guys get drafted
(24:24):
where they're drafted because the league as a whole has
determined what it believes that player is and can become
you know, there are a lot of there's only one
Tom Brady, you know, that whole getting picked in the
(24:46):
sixth round and becoming the greatest of all time. It
happened once. That's great. But to go in with any
kind of expectation that Will Howard is gonna follow a
similar path, I just don't think it's fair to him.
I just don't. It's don't because I just don't. It's
(25:07):
just not a realistic path to expect of a young
man who is trying to come in and establish himself
as a professional and establish himself at the highest level
of the sport that he wants to play. And he's
also trying to do all of that at the most
difficult position in that sport. So you know, I would
(25:33):
like to I would like fans to just kind of
back off a little bit on him and you know,
let him be Will Howard, Let him be a rookie,
let him grow and work and you know those kind
of things. Hope for the best, and then let's just
have fun with it and see how it all turns out.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
Yeah, I mean, putting the expectations on him like they
have or some have, is it is way unfair I've
said before when we do our podcast, I hate those
comps of legendary players to players coming in. Even if
you're a really talented rookie, it's unfair to say you're
going to be Barry Sanders or you remind somebody of
Emmett Smith. It's just that's almost an impossible bar for
anybody to clear. And when it comes to Will Howard,
(26:16):
you know you mentioned how fans might want to see
enough from him to let them have the impression that
he is going to be the quarterback moving forward. Well,
if all things go well for the Steelers this year,
he won't even sniff the field. He won't even be
more than the emergency third string quarterback. If things go
a little sideways and Rogers hasn't missed some time, I'm
not going to hand things over to Will Howard to
(26:38):
try to keep their season afloat. That's why they brought
back somebody that they're so familiar with, in a veteran
in Mason Rudolph, to be the backup. So if you
do see playing time for Will Howard this year, things
have gone catastrophically wrong.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
Yes, couldn't have said it better myself, truthfully. I mean
the best I think best outcome of this season or
Will Howard and his development would be for him to
be the third string quarterback every week and then hopefully
that extends into you know, a couple of weeks in
the playoffs, and he needs to learn, you know, and
(27:16):
he can watch not only learn the game, but also
watch how a couple of professionals handle that job on
a week by week basis through a regular season. You know,
how they prepare, learn the game plan, maybe contribute to
the formulation of the game plan, how they watch video.
(27:38):
All of those kinds of things are critical at the
quarterback position if you want to be successful in the NFL.
And I just you know, I think that guys have
to learn, They have to see it happen, they have
to experience it. Sometimes it helps them to watch others
do it, and that helps the learning process. You know, Yes,
(27:59):
Ben went, you know, thirteen and oh or whatever, it
was his first starts number of starts as an NFL quarterback.
But again, you know, we're talking about a first ballot
Hall of Fame guy, multiple Super Bowl winners, eleventh pick
of the draft. You know, just because it has been
done once doesn't mean that that should be or should
(28:23):
expect it to be your path, and it doesn't mean
it's going to happen again.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
When we come back on the other side of the break,
we'll talk about Friday night lights, but we do want
to play a little bit of will Howard jump the
gun a little bit there. He did speak with the
media yesterday and he was talking about how kind of
that fan interaction has been cool to see, and speaking
on seeing some of that buckeye red kind of dot
into the black and yellow at some of Steelers practices.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
You know, it's not surprising.
Speaker 7 (28:50):
It's pretty pretty split hat in half and half with
Penn State and Ohio stage and we're kind of right
in the middle.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
But yeah, it's cool.
Speaker 7 (28:56):
I mean that the red sticks out like a sore
thum for sure.
Speaker 8 (28:59):
What have you heard about Friday night? It's lights practice tomorrow.
What are you looking forward to most? Obviously, with being
so well received by fans, to be this is a
big prod.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
I'm excited.
Speaker 7 (29:06):
I haven't heard much other than that it's on Friday night,
it's under the lights, and yeah, I'm excited. There'll be
a lot of fans there, and I don't know what
to expect other than playing football, just show up and be.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
Ready to play.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
Do you have your own favorite high school football memory
from your days under the light?
Speaker 7 (29:22):
Yeah, definitely my last game at my home stadium. My
senior year, we played our rival Coatsville and we had
never beat them, and my four years of playing we
never beat them. My junior year, I got hurt against them.
Earlier in my senior year we lost against them on
like a you know, a last second kind of deal,
and so we got them back in the district championship.
(29:43):
My last game at home, it was it was pretty sweet.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
You see that dKon culbination taking.
Speaker 11 (29:50):
The stuff from over different single day, and so it's
like every day we had something to.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
Book the sin. Yeah, no, I think it.
Speaker 7 (29:59):
They're definitely working pretty well together, and you know, I
knew wasn't gonna happen right away. You know, anything like that,
you got to develop chemistry and develop you know, that togetherness,
and those two spend a lot of time together and
they have a really good relationship. And like you said,
I think they're just getting better every day and they're
gonna continue to have better will Friday night lights at
high school field? Are you worried at all the Jacksawyer
is going to try to take the ball and they
(30:20):
start taking snaps under center, growing deep passes.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Yeah, well we'll see.
Speaker 7 (30:25):
We'll see if he if he wants to do that
along those lines, Do you have a favorite high school
football memory? I just said it.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Oh, no, you're good will.
Speaker 10 (30:33):
When you're trying to build chemistry with the wide receiver, obviously,
rips are invaluable.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Within each rip, what are you looking for?
Speaker 10 (30:38):
Body language, how they're running the routes.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
How do you kind of build that with innut.
Speaker 7 (30:44):
I think it really depends on the play. You know,
whether it's a man route his own route. You know,
every every play is different. I can't say there's one thing,
but really it's just being on the same page at
all times and and knowing what I'm thinking, what they're thinking,
and knowing that our thinking is aligne And I think
that's the biggest part. And the only way to do
that is to talk about it, to walk through and
(31:05):
to get reps and to continue to develop those relationships.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
What have you seen from Rock Taylor Zeld blair Man.
Speaker 7 (31:11):
He's making some plays and you know, when the ball
goes his way, it seems like good things are happening.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard just got to be a
Sponge this year, soak up as much as he can.
And he's got a great person at the top of
that depth chart to learn from in Aaron Rodgers. When
Labs and I come back, we'll talk about Friday night lights.
The practice is tonight one of the marquee moments of Steelers'
training camp, maybe the marquee moment of Steelers' training camp.
(31:37):
So we'll set the table for that, talk about the
great history behind that practice and much more. It's the
Training Camp Report on Fox Sports Pittsburgh nine seventy AM
and the Steelers Audio.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Network Iheartradios Live coverage job not twenty twenty five Steelers
Training Camp. He's presented by Faedex Now meets next and
also brought to you by Cger Wholesale Roofing and Sighting
Supply Center, by Tom's Appliances, by Always Safe Flagging and
(32:10):
Traffic Control by Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, by Schneider Downs,
by Hasa's Steak and Seahouse, by your Neighborhood Forward Store,
by Castle Rock, by Clearview Federal Credit Union, and by
US steel.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Tom off Ran and Bob Labriol on the Training Camp Report.
Usually we're wrapping up and Steelers practice is going to
get started right at the conclusion of our show, but
that will not be the case today as it is
a special occasion. It is Friday night lights over at
Latrobe Memorial Stadium and Labs. This has been something that
the Steelers have been doing for a long time. Now
you can tell me exactly how long in just a second,
(32:46):
but it really kind of caught on right away and
has just grown in popularity and now it's just become tradition.
Started with Bill Kauer.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
Correct, yes, but let me just take it back a
little bit more. Yeah, the seed was planned I believe
Chuck Noll and Joe Gibbs when Joe Gibbs was the
coach with Washington Redskins. They had a very good professional
and personal relationship, and the two coaches decided that joint
practices would be a nice idea. So the first couple
(33:18):
of those, the Steelers traveled to Carlisle, PA on buses
Dickinson College and competed against the Redskins had some practices,
so then you know, the return the favor thing came
around and at that time, you know, to make it
worth their while. The day at Dickinson you know, started
(33:38):
mid to late morning and then it ended with a
night scrimmage under the lights on the field, and then
the Steelers would stay over and then leave early the
next morning to come back to Latrobe. So in an
effort to try and do something similar, provide a similar
experience here in Latrobe, you know, there were lights at
(34:00):
all at that time at Saint Vincent College on the fields.
So the Steelers explored the possibility of going to La
Trope Stadium because that was the nearest football field that
had lights. And so actually the first time the Steelers
went to La Trobe Stadium in a you know, a
(34:20):
nighttime competitive kind of training camp situation was against the
Washington Redskins, you know, late eighties, early nineties. Okay, So
then now Chuck Noll retires at the end of the
nineteen ninety one season, Bill Cower is hired in nineteen
ninety two. Bill Cower's idea was that he wanted to
(34:42):
try and replicate what players faced during a regular season,
and by that I mean different kickoff times for games
and so you know, all that went into that you know,
you prepare your body in a different way for a
one o'clock game maybe versus a four o'clock game versus
(35:04):
a night game. And so, uh, Bill Kauer wanted to
try and replicate that as best you can in the
training camp setting, and so he thought it would be
a good idea to have a night practice somewhere. Once again,
there was still were no lights on campus here and
so because of you know, the seed that Chuck Nole
had planted with going to La Trope Stadium and it
(35:27):
kind of worked out, Okay, that became a possibility. And so, yes,
Bill Kauer is the man who the coach who came
up with the idea for a night practice at Latrope
Stadium for the Steelers as part of training camp every year.
You know, the whole Friday Night Light's name. And you
(35:52):
know how it became.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
That kind of larger than life.
Speaker 4 (35:55):
Yeah, yes, was had to do with, first of all,
the TV series at the time and the book and
the fact that the way you got there was on
the yellow school buses, you know, Friday Night Lights. The
book and the TV series was about a high school
football program and all of these guys on try not
(36:18):
for the Steelers or as Steelers played high school football obviously,
and so there was a natural familiarity for them with
them in what riding to a stadium. It was a
high school stadium too, in yellow school buses. Meant, you know,
they took their they would carry their equipment on the buses.
(36:40):
I mean that still happens. And so, yeah, the Friday
night lights. That's how the name came about. And so
you know, the first few Bill Kauer tried to make
it special for the fans and the players, and so
he would structure the practice in a little bit of
(37:02):
a different way and it always culminated with a period
of goal line and Bill Kuer practice, goal line was
the only live tackling drill, and it wasn't held every
practice like Mike Tomlin does with seven shots or tackle football,
(37:23):
but still it was very much anticipated and there were
some there were some memorable instances of things happening during
goal line at La Trope Stadium. I'll just tell you
some of the ones that I remember. This was, you know,
looking at it chronologically, it was probably nineteen ninety five
(37:47):
or nineteen ninety six. One of the goal line plays,
Cordell Stewart was under center, and so the play instead
of you know, a typical either run the play, run
the ball, or throw the ball, it was it was
an option kind of thing, which Cordel Stewart did very
well during his college days at Colorado. And so you know,
(38:10):
you get to stand at the time, you're standing right there.
I mean I was three feet off the sideline maybe,
and Cortell Stewart's running right at me. And Chad Brown,
another former Colorado player, was a linebacker at the time,
so he's coming over hard to try and keep Cordell
(38:31):
Stewart out of the end zone. And it was you know,
it happened really fast, and because I was standing there
so close, you really got to see it and how
it impacted the players. Cortel Stewart kind of pretended like
he was going to pitch the ball on a triple option,
(38:51):
you know, to the outside, only it was a fake
and he cut up inside and got in the end zone.
He just kind of froze all the players, including Chad Brown,
who were coming up to make that play on defense.
So that was one I remembered. Then there was some
just you know, regular seismic collisions. Jerome Bettis and Kendrew Bell,
(39:16):
who was a number one pick, number to two pick
in two thousand and one. I believe, yes, he was
defensive Rookie of the year. He was an inside linebacker.
You know, Jerome was coming downhill and Kendrew Bell, that
was his forte linebacker from Georgia. Find the ball, hit
(39:38):
the guy with the ball, get him on the ground.
That was what he did, very well, very quick, very athletic,
hard hitter. You could hear that one all over Westmoreland County.
Then later in the two thousands, again Jerome Betts against
Earl Holmes, another inside linebacker who was a very physical guy,
(39:59):
runs stopper. That was a collision, unbelievable collision. Mike Tomlin
has changed it a little bit in terms of rather
than constructing a practice around the fact that it's Friday
night lights, he has a normal practice only with some
(40:22):
drills that are regular drills that he uses, you know,
maybe as a feature to that. So, you know, I
think we're going to see backs on backers. It remains
to be seen though what version of it we're going
to see. Is it going to be a repeat of
(40:45):
the offense trying to pass block, or is it going
to be the other version of it, which forces the
defense into coverage, so that that's going to be interesting
to me to see. Also sometimes you know, there will
be tackle football tonight too, I'm sure, which isn't goal line.
(41:06):
It's more out on the field, but it's still primarily
running the football and tackling the guy with the ball.
And you know, outside of that, it's you know, there's
special teams. There's a lot of things that are normal
parts of a football practice, and you know, some fans
(41:28):
might look at them as boring, but you know they're
necessary and the fans love it. There's an autograph session
that kind of started during the Bill Kuer era because
the all of the that there you have to pay
to get in. Fans have to pay. But all the
(41:50):
money when it started went to the Westmoreland County United Way.
That was the where the proceeds went. And then as
it evolved more into the Mike Tomlin area Mark Tomlin
Ahra excuse me, it became less of a charity but
more as a fundraiser for the schools in the Latrobe
(42:13):
School District. So you know, it's it's still not a
thing where the Steelers are going there to make any money,
you know, And the other thing that has evolved, and
it never ceases to amaze me. And I forget how
long ago, four or five years ago. Maybe the institution
(42:35):
of club seats. Okay, everybody, fans know what club seats
are there, you know, special seats in the stadium where
people are afforded more perks than other people in the stadium. Now, again,
as I.
Speaker 6 (42:49):
Said, this is a high school, high school field.
Speaker 4 (42:51):
Okay, So the club seats at Latrobe Stadium are on
the visitors side and all they are are folding chairs
lined up about I don't know, ten feet twelve feet
off the sideline because you don't want to get anyone killed,
and there's a single line of chairs. They go from
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
It's like having court side seats at an NBA game.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
Yes, yes, maybe twenty yard line to twenty yard line,
twenty five yard line, the twenty five yard line, something
like that. And at one time when it started, as
I said that, the admission now I think has gone
up to ten dollars for regular fans. Club seats. I
(43:34):
remember at one time I was told they were one
hundred dollars each. They are sold out, sold out, so
people are serious about this, uh, and people plan their
vacations around this.
Speaker 8 (43:50):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (43:51):
There's not a lot of messing around with it. And
it should be quite a show tonight. And as I said,
it'll culminate with Zambelle fireworks so you can see those.
You can see those from campus.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
That's gonna be such a great event as it always is.
And it looks like the weather is going to be good.
Knock on wood, so we hopefully we get it all
in and I mean get a funnel cake too, right, Labs, like,
let's not, let's not undertill the concessions out there too.
I'm sure that funnel case, lemonades, all that good stuff.
Speaker 4 (44:20):
Yeah, and there's food trucks.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
See, it's just it's like a carnival really well.
Speaker 4 (44:24):
And Chad Tyson from DV there now, I mean, and
they have the blow up you V blimp thing, yeah
there you go.
Speaker 3 (44:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (44:33):
Yes, So, as I said, it's a it's a big
event and it has really become an all day event.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Can't wait for that. And Labs and I will be
back again tomorrow to recap Friday night Lights practice at noon,
our usual time on the Training Camp Report. Thanks for listening.
For thanks for listening to us today. Hand things off
to the Drive with Matt Williamson and Wes Euler. Next,
you're listening to Fox Sports Pittsburgh nine seventy a m.
And the Steelers Audio Network.
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