Steelers football blog

Black and golden opportunity

As a rookie, Jeremy Bloom admittedly did the one thing coaches tell players not to do during training camp. He took a head count, crunched the numbers and wondered if there would be a place on the team for him, because the players in Philadelphia's camp far exceeded the available roster spots. Two years later, the Steelers wide receiver/return specialist is not nearly as fazed by the amount of competition he encounters in the NFL. Continue

Taylor turns to receiver for tips

Ike Taylor has made six interceptions since becoming a starter in 2005. The Steelers cornerback said that total should be closer to 25. "At least eight a year," Taylor said of how many interceptions he could have made the last three seasons.

Exaggeration or not, Taylor went on the offensive to correct perhaps the one thing that has prevented the sixth-year veteran from taking the next step in a solid career. In an effort to improve the hands that have too often failed him, Taylor crossed over, if only briefly, to what has to be considered the dark side for defensive backs. Continue

Steelers' No. 1 pick comes up short in drills

The first week of his first NFL training camp ended with a thud for Rashard Mendenhall. The glitzy, high-profile rookie, the first running back drafted in the first round by the Steelers in 19 years, received his welcome-to-the-NFL moment yesterday afternoon before family and friends.

There were several moments, actually. The first two came when the first-team Steelers defense stuffed Mendenhall on the initial live goal-line drill of training camp, with the offense snapping the ball just inside the 2. The third came when he was stopped short again on the seventh and final play. Continue

Ward remains 'heartbeat' of Steelers offense

Call him small, call him slow, call him (gasp!) a possession receiver. Draw a connection between the 32nd birthday he celebrated in March and the career-low 10.3 yards he averaged per catch last season. Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward thrives on doubt. He needs to be questioned. He needs to be dissed. He needs to be reminded that he is neither the biggest guy nor the fastest guy -- and not exactly the youngest, either. Continue

Pro Bowl LB earns his nickname of Steelman

The Steelers are going to kill their most valuable player if they don't watch it. Their morning special teams practices at Saint Vincent College do not include most veterans. That is, unless you were the team MVP last season and a starting linebacker in the Pro Bowl.

James Harrison, an overnight sensation last fall at age 29, toiled through another special teams practice yesterday morning while many of his fellow starters slept in. It's the price you apparently pay when you do it so well -- Harrison first made his mark covering punts and kicks and he's still doing it. Continue

Misery remains Polamalu's company

Troy Polamalu lines up and plays all over the field for the Steelers, yet he found it difficult to open his sixth training camp at a new position yesterday -- on the sideline. That came courtesy of an injury to his left hamstring that developed a week ago today while he was running to stay in shape.

"It's always miserable being injured," Polamalu said. He became all-too familiar with that misery a year ago when he missed five full games and played in many others with injuries that varied from broken/bruised ribs, a partially torn PCL in a knee and an abdominal injury. Continue

Hampton fails running test

The philosophies of Mike Tomlin and Casey Hampton clashed yesterday, prompting the Steelers coach to prohibit his Pro Bowl nose tackle from joining his teammates on the training camp practice field until he gets in shape.

Tomlin placed Hampton on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after watching him labor through five of a required eight 100-yard jogs that were part of the players' conditioning test their first day at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. "He wasn't able to finish the test," Tomlin said. "He's overweight and he's not conditioned enough to participate at this point." Tomlin said when he determines Hampton is in shape, he'll take him off the PUP list and allow him to practice. Continue

Mike Tomlin heads into his second training camp

How does Mike Tomlin love going to training camp? Let him count the ways. "I love football, I love this process, I love going to camp, I love team-building, readying ourselves to pursue our goals. I am extremely excited. If I had to characterize it, I would say no more excited or no less excited than a year ago."

Training camp a lovefest? Latrobe in late July and early August for the Steelers never has been confused with Woodstock, although all those motorcycles zipping around Westmoreland County for the National Bikers Roundup this week will choke the atmosphere. Continue

Long pass key factor in Steelers' new offense

Ben Roethlisberger has played 15 snaps in the first two preseason games, a number he expects to exceed in one game tonight.Charlie Batch has appeared for 24 snaps in two games, a number he might not exceed when the Steelers (1-1) play the Washington Redskins (1-0) at 8 p.m. in a preseason game at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.

But, when they have played, Roethlisberger and Batch -- even No. 3 Brian St. Pierre -- have not wasted any time demonstrating what the offense might look like this season under new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. Continue

Tomlin's first camp was tough on the players

Mike Tomlin wrapped up the final practice of his first training camp yesterday afternoon with many questions remaining about his football team, but with more insight about what he has."It's been as good as could be expected," the Steelers new coach said. "You always come in prepared for the worst and hopeful for the best. I think it's been more toward my hopes; it's been awesome."

Tomlin leaves Saint Vincent College believing he has a team that can compete for a Super Bowl. Like many NFL teams, injuries or the lack of them will decide how serious a bid the Steelers make. Continue