Training Camp: Time to Put Up or Shut Up for Steelers DL

LATROBE -- The pads come on this week at Pittsburgh Steelers training camp, opening up a whole new world, particularly for the big men in the trenches, who had been confined to shorts, helmets and limited contact during the first week of practices.

On both the Steelers' offensive and defensive line, there are plenty of new faces, from Broderick Jones to Issac Seumalo to Keeanu Benton and more. They offered an early look at their skills as the team worked with just helmets on.

"I don't really pay attention to that," captain and starting defensive lineman Cameron Heyward said. "You can look great in shorts, but when you get punched in the mouth, what are you going to do?"

Heyward hopes to be doing more punching than receiving punches this week as the Steelers don pads and begin to inch closer and closer toward real, live football.

The first day of pads is big for everyone but particularly for players like Benton and Breiden Fehoko - two guys known as nasty, imposing run-stuffers at nose tackle. Heyward challenged them prior to practice, saying that this is where players like Fohoko can really start to impress coaches and teammates.

"This is the day where there shouldn't be any runs up the middle, right?" Heyward said. "[Fohoko] says this is his bread and butter. It's time to prove it."

The Steelers' defensive line will have every opportunity to step up to the challenge, and the news guys are heading into padded practice with all eyes on them in Latrobe.

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