Steelers to Transition Into Pads Next Week
PITTSBURGH -- The NFL is a weekend away from putting pads on for the first time since Super Bowl Sunday. As teams finish the strength and conditioning portion of camp and move into hitting drills, Pittsburgh will be looking to take that next step with the rest of the league.
Head coach Mike Tomlin spoke to reporters on Thursday and said he expects the team to make the transition with the rest of the NFL, but will play next week by ear.
"That is our intent, but we are also willing to adjust based on what it is that we see," Tomlin said. "From a staffing standpoint, we are very thoughtful about our long-term planning or not doing so. Getting familiar with the level of conditioning that these guys are coming to us in and getting a feel for their ability to take in and retain information that was delivered to them remotely are two of the key variables that determine the pace at which we move.
"Those are our intentions. We are willing to adjust based on what transpires between now and then. And that is really our mentality about this next month or so. We realize there are certain boxes that need to be checked between now and when we step into a stadium, but we also realize that we might have to alter the pace of some of those intended plans based on the readiness, or lack thereof, of the group. We are just acknowledging that and openly being willing to be flexible when appropriate."
Tomlin said the Steelers have worked well up to this point. Last week, the head coach said his veteran players "answered the call" when it came to showing up conditioned enough for camp.
This week, the team continued to make progress, strapping on helmets for the first time. A step forward before full pads, Tomlin said the final week of the ramp-up period has gone well.
"It's been a very productive week for us," Tomlin said. "We're still transitioning into football and it's a lot of significant work to be done in that regard. More than anything we're talking about culture building things, how we practice, how we compete professionally, how we compete appropriately based on attire."
Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
