PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – There really wasn’t concern from quarterback Skylar Thompson on Tuesday about making the team. He said he wasn’t sitting by his phone or worried about what could happen even though there was no guarantee that rookie quarterback Will Howard would go on injured reserve.
“I was very confident in the work I put in this preseason,” Thompson said Wednesday. “What I put on tape. Had confidence whether it was going to be here or somewhere else, that was going to be the best move for me. That really set me free.”
Thompson threw for 498 yards and four touchdowns in a trio of preseason games. He wasn’t even getting team reps until Howard injured his hand on August 5. From that point on Thompson just let it loose, as he put it. He said he’s learned in the NFL to never get too high or too low, just when that chance comes, jump on it.
“A guy in my shoes, you have to make the most of your opportunities,” Thompson said. “I just felt like my mind was on the right things so whenever the opportunity presented itself I felt free and felt ready and was able to play confident.”
The 28-year-old was actually the first quarterback the Steelers signed this season and then watched as they added a pair of free agents and drafted another quarterback. Even with all of that, Thompson was hoping to remain here. He said he’s built relationships with the other quarterbacks, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth.
“Really love my time here and my experience here and I’m excited to still be here and continue to grow in this system and be around these guys in this locker room,” Thompson said. “I’m really excited about it.”