The Pittsburgh Steelers geared up for another day of training camp on Wednesday, August 17th. The camp has been held at the beautiful Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennslyvnai since 1967. After a tough loss in the playoffs last season to the Patriots, the black and gold are determined to make another run for the Lombardi trophy.
The Pittsburgh Steelers currently have the most Lombardi's in the NFL, with six trophies to their name. The Steelers are trailed by the Patriots, 49'ers, and Cowboys— who all have won five Super Bowls respectively.
There are many new faces to the Steelers this year. Most notably, running back (#30) James Conner, a star player for Pitt and remarkably, a survivor of Hodgkin's lymphoma. Additionally, TJ Watt (#90) is receiving praise from coaches for his stellar performance in training camp. His performance has been so spectacular, that he has been named a starter over league veteran, James Harrison.
Along with new faces, there is also a very important player returning to the Steelers this season. One of the few of Ben Roethlisberger's favorite targets, Martavis Bryant, has been cleared to play by the NFL following a 1-year suspension for violating the league's drug policy. Bryant's addition to the receiving core will give the Steeler's passing game a significant boost. Bryant is a huge target standing at 6'5" and will command attention in the opponents defensive backfield. His presence will also help to divert attention from the Steeler's other elite receiver, Antonio Brown.
The Steeler's coaching staff is also evolving with the team. This year the Steelers have recruited former wider receiver, Hines Ward, to assist with the coaching of receivers. Additionally, Matt Spaeth has been brought to training camp to work with the tight end group.
In recent years, the Steelers have been achieving wonderful things on the offensive front. Offensive coordinator, Todd Haley, s offense has been tailored to the players' strengths, leading to a high-powered and high scoring team.
Offensive line coach, Mike Munchak, has also assisted in forming this potent offense. His work with the linemen has helped to protect quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger— earning the recognition of being one of the best offensive lines in the NFL today.
On the defensive front defensive coordinator, Keith Butler, has found his rhythm over the last several seasons. Which has led to the Steeler's defense slowly evolving back to its original glory— something that has been missing throughout the past few seasons for the black and yellow squad. Stars like James Harrison, Ryan Shazier, and Cameron Heyward are going to be key components in a tough and brutal Steelers defense.
While there were many stellar players out this Wednesday, there were also some missing faces from the lineup. James Harrison was not spotted, which is most likely due to his age. Since he was recently named to be placed under TJ Watt, he is most likely taking care of his body in preparation for the season. This is not too concerning considering Harrison is approaching 40-years of age— but make no mistake, his impact will be felt by fellow teams.
Another player who was absent not only Wednesday but in the camp's entirety was star running back Le'Veon Bell. Due to Bell being a franchised player, he is technically not required to attend training camp. While Le'Veon may not be at camp, he is still on a strict exercise program in preparation for the coming season.
Although some players such as Antonio Brown have expressed their dissatisfaction with Bell's attendance, the silver lining is that Bell will not be put at risk of injury. Given his history of injuries over the past four seasons, this time off may help his season remain intact, and hopefully, continue throughout the playoffs.
Pittsburgh's last Super Bowl run was in 2011 where they lost to the Green Bay Packers, so Pittsburgh fans have been waiting for six years to return to the championship. While there are no guarantees— this season could very well be the stairway to seven that Yinzers have been dreaming of.
