PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – When they signed guard Nate Herbig, the Steelers called 2022 starter Kevin Dotson to tell him they just wanted Herbig as a backup and for depth. They didn’t want Dotson concerned the new guy was taking his job. When the Steelers then signed guard Isaac Seumalo.
Silence.
“They just signed him,” Dotson explained after the first day of Organized Team Activities on the South Side. “There is no real information given to me. That’s sign enough to me, getting paid it’s pretty much set.”
What he means by getting paid is the three-year, $24 million contract given to the 29-year-old Seumalo to come to the Steelers. Dotson was trying to describe his feelings and how he felt at first, paused, and then said there is nothing he can do about it. He will just work as hard as he can.
“Hope something happens in the future, here or somewhere else,” Doston said. “It’s part of the game.”
It’s a tough part of the game for a player who grew up a Steelers fan, finally had a healthy season and started not just every game, but played every snap. He felt like the offense and offensive line had really taken a step forward and believes they will do even more this year. That will be likely without him in the starting lineup.
Dotson believes he’s improved, but knows they don’t bring in Seumalo to sit. He says he has some position flexibility.
All he believes he can do right now is what he did on Tuesday-show up on time and work hard.
“I just do what I can to put stuff on film,” Dotson said. “If I get opportunities, I just take full advantage of it.
Keep being a good teammate. I don’t have any hard feelings. It doesn’t really affect me outside of here. I know if something were to happen, I could go somewhere else.”
Dotson said he hasn’t been told anything about his role from anyone this season, at least at this point. He said he never had an exit interview after the season with Head Coach Mike Tomlin, which is customary for all players-especially starters, because there were some complications in Tomlin’s schedule. Dotson met with position coach Pat Meyer as he told him he did pretty good, but needed to cut down on the penalties. Never did he have any indication they would seek and find his replacement in free agency.
“I’m not really mad,” Dotson said. “It’s just part of the game. There is nothing I can do about it. There is no reason to worry about it. If I go somewhere else or I stay here, I feel like I will get my opportunity to do something.”