PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The minute Broderick Jones was drafted, it seemed like a forgone conclusion he would be the new Steelers starting left tackle. The team traded up to get him with the 14th overall pick. It likely is inevitable he will become first team, but Dan Moore isn't going to step aside without a battle.
"It's a competition right now," said Steelers offensive line coach Pat Meyer. "It's a competition which is good and they know it. It's good. It's good for them to compete because if they don't have anybody to compete against you can get complacent."
Moore quickly stepped into the starting role quickly. It wasn't supposed to happen that way, Moore was going to get a redshirt year with Chukwuma Okorafor starting at left tackle and Zach Banner back from injury to start on the right side. Banner's knee never got better and Moore ended up having to start his first NFL game and has remained the starting tackle for every game.
Now he's in a competition that he still believes will still be a competition when training camp opens in Latrobe. Moore said position battles are what fuels teams, makes them better. It makes people rise to their potential. He said he's excited to get better.
"As a competitor, I find drive each and every day," Moore said. "I feel like I wouldn't be a professional if I didn't have motivation. I guess you could say a little extra competition fuels the fire, but you got to have that drive within."
Jones said he also welcomes being pushed, it will make him better as well. He needs the extra motivation and doesn't shy away from it but walks towards it (already picking up on one of the better Tomlinisms). As much as those responses may be thought out before as what he should say, his face changed when asked about Moore.
"Dan is amazing," Jones said. "He really took me under his wing. We talk every day. He tells me what I'm doing wrong. He tells me what I need to do to fix it. He shows me more than anybody else what to do after practice. He stays out there with me to get extra work every day. It's been an amazing feeling just having him as a big brother on the team, someone to look up to."
"Dan has been unbelievable through this whole experience," Meyer said. "He has been nothing but helpful for Broderick. At the same time, I know he has the approach that I'm going to win this job. That's a true pro. Those are the type of guys you want to coach. Guys that aren't selfish and going to help the young guys out, at the same time I'm going to compete."
"That's the type of person I strive to be, at the end of the day the goal is to be a good teammate," Moore said. "That's what I want guys to say about me. That's what I want my reputation and legacy to be left as, as a good teammate. That's what I try to achieve every day."
Moore believes he's made strides and obviously driven to keep his job. Jones says he's continue to learn, grow and better himself. He said the job is not finished and he has a long way to go.
Moore is working hard to make that road longer for Jones, but he won't do it by filling it with potholes for his teammate.
