LATROBE, PA (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin enjoys challenging his players in the heat. He wants to see how they deal with the adversity and part of that is preparing for it. Few know the importance of hydration and having a heat acclimation first few days of camp like Steelers guard James Daniels.
The second-year Steelers offensive lineman knows about the heat potential of this area. The 25-year-old grew up in Warren, Ohio just a few miles from the Pennsylvania border, but it’s a family connection that brings the point home.
Daniels dad was best friends growing up with consensus All-American and NFL offensive tackle Korey Stringer. For those who don’t know his story, Stringer was coming into his seventh NFL camp in what he considered the best shape of his life at 6’4”, 336 pounds. The former two-time Big 10 Offensive Lineman of the Year was also coming off his best season after a first appearance in the Pro Bowl in 2000. There were high expectations for the 2001 season. It was July 30th, the second day of the Vikings training camp at Minnesota State University in Mankato, a day almost identical to Friday in Latrobe, temperature around 90 degrees with a heat index of 99. Dealing with heat exhaustion, Stringer would leave practice early, vomiting a few times and not able to participate in the afternoon practice. The next day, he did go through a morning session lasting about two hours, but vomited at least once, slipped once and fell another time. He again visited the air-conditioned trailer to get treatment and was taken to a local hospital where he would die hours later from organ failure resulting from heat stroke.
Daniels grew up just two houses down from Stringer, but doesn’t remember him as he was just three when he died. But ever since he can remember his father has been on he and his brother to hydrate. He said a typical text string from his father would be able making sure he is not just getting water, but salt and electrolytes.
“My dad says good luck at camp, stay hydrated,” Daniels told 93.7 The Fan. “How was your practice today? Are you hydrated? Those are all his texts and it makes sense.”
Daniels said the Steelers make all players weight-in before and after practice. If a player would lose a certain amount of weight, there is action taken. Gone are the days of withholding water out of some sort of toughness test or forcing guys to play through signs of heat exhaustion. The NFL mandates teams have the first couple of practices without pads as part of a heat acclimation process.
Now in his sixth year in the NFL, Daniels tries to set an example of how to take care of yourself in the heat. His father won’t let him forget what might happen if you don’t.