LATROBE, PA (93.7 The Fan) – There are mixed reviews from the Steelers players to moving to St. Vincent College for the first couple of weeks of training camp. They are away from family, familiarity and they haven’t been here in three years. The team leaders, at least publicly, do believe it’s a big benefit.
TJ Watt says they will build comradery that is necessary to do what hasn’t been done in the last few seasons—make a run in the playoffs.
“Embrace it,” Watt says he tells teammates. “It’s a small cafeteria, it’s a small dormitory. You can look at it one of two ways-you can be ‘man I wish we were back in Pittsburgh’ or you can say ‘I embrace this, I love the tradition, I love the history of this place’. Take it all in and put your best foot forward.”
“We have to remember we are living our dreams. This is the best job in the world. This is what we dreamed of as kids. Don’t think for a second that you are better than Latrobe, because you are not.”
“Those nights where you are here bonding with your teammates,” said Steelers long-time captain Cam Heyward. “You get to work more football. When we were (in Pittsburgh), you ended the day a little earlier because everybody was getting out of there. Here its football all day and football all night. I think the bonding is the thing.”
Heyward warned players new to training camps to first, bring your own sheets. Then experience it for himself. As a veteran he also brought several board games including Monopoly, Yahtzee, Sorry, Connect 4 and adds he will take all comers in Scrabble.
“I think it’s really important,” said safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. “I think getting to know guys off the field is just as important because you get to learn how guys communicate, see the game. You get to learn who loves the game and who doesn’t, who is here for the right reasons. We are all professionals, but at the end of the day not everyone carries themselves as such. It will be good to get closer as a team, closer as units and just have fun.”
Najee Harris is not thrilled about moving into a dorm. He brought that up a few times, but says he understands the bonding aspect of it. He said he wished he had a rookie roommate who he could show the ropes and give advice to. Harris though will be in his own room, at least for now. Trey Edmunds was going to room with him but he was released on Monday.
“Spending time with each other, there is no escape here,” Watt said. “We are all going to be around each other whether it’s on the field or in the training room. Everything is so compact here, it’s easy to take a young guy under your wing and show them how things go.”
Upon walking on campus for the first time, rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett says he recognizes this is a legendary place. Saying a lot of greats have walked the same path they are going to over the next few weeks.
“Spending time with the guys, it’s different in college in the Spring you hang out with a lot of guys in college,” Pickett said. “Here everyone goes their separate ways and goes home. You have no choice but to hang out with the guys (at St. Vincent College). It’s tight quarters. I’m excited to get to know these guys better.”