BY JOSH YOHE
The offensive linemen invited to the Steelers’ recent rookie camp — most were undrafted free agents, many of whom don’t have a prayer of making the 53-man roster — were treated to dinner at the Capital Grille recently by Maurkice Pouncey.
“It just seemed like the right thing to do,” the All-Pro center explained today.
Pouncey and Cam Heyward were chosen by the team to meet with the media at the South Side headquarters, and that decision, however random, seemed right. Those two represent a new era, and the students have become the teachers. The Steelers Way never really changes, as people inside the organization have attested for generations, because it is passed from one generation to the next.
Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor and Brett Keisel are gone. As that trio — and Aaron Smith, James Farrior and others — once learned from the likes of Joey Porter, Alan Faneca, Jason Gildon and Kimo von Oelhoffen, so, too, were Heyward and Pouncey making it clear that they took notes while being trained by the three recent retirees.
The departure of Keisel hit Heyward particularly hard.
“What we really will miss most about him is the way he talked to the younger guys,” Heyward said before a pause, then, “Now it’s up to us to make up for that.”
Heyward expressed his love for the logo. Even with his contract expiring following this season, Heyward spoke of playing for only one team, and living in only one city. He said he wants to be remembered as a “Steelers great.”
“The Steelers greats don’t go anywhere else,” he said. “James Harrison did for a little while, but he came back. I want to spend my entire life here. Football and after.”
Asked if he was now the leader of the defense, Heyward joked that his hair isn’t gray yet. But he then spoke like a leader.
“I don’t know who they think the leader is,” he said of the younger players on defense. “I just want to get better every day. I want to learn from the young guys and the old guys. I’m excited to grow with this group of guys.”
Pouncey, respected from first drill as a rookie in Latrobe as the leader of the offensive line, spoke glowingly of the younger Steelers. He said of the offense, specifically, that it’s tight and will continue to grow. He sounded like he won’t have it any other way.
“I feel like these guys are my twin brothers,” he said. “I love them to death. We do everything together.”
Heyward and Pouncey addressed some offseason news, too:
• Pouncey, on Ben Roethlisberger’s new contract: “We’ve got to keep him upright. He got paid again.”
• Heyward, on Jason Worilds‘ stunning retirement: “I was a little surprised. Everybody was. But he’s a quiet guy. Everybody respects his decision.”
• Heyward, on the transition to new defensive coordinator Keith Butler: “There won’t be too many changes. Maybe a few wrinkles.”
• Pouncey, asked about Deflategate and whether he notices the difference when balls are slightly deflated: “The Patriots won the Super Bowl. And they deserve it.”
• Heyward, on whether he’d welcome opponents going for two-point conversions more often in light of PATs being made more difficult: “Damn right. I want every offense to go for two against us.”
Spoken like a Steeler.
Cam Heyward, Maurkice Pouncey. -- GETTY
May 20, 2015
Feature: Heyward, Pouncey begin the ushering
by Josh Yohe • Features • Steelers
BY JOSH YOHE
The offensive linemen invited to the Steelers’ recent rookie camp — most were undrafted free agents, many of whom don’t have a prayer of making the 53-man roster — were treated to dinner at the Capital Grille recently by Maurkice Pouncey.
“It just seemed like the right thing to do,” the All-Pro center explained today.
Pouncey and Cam Heyward were chosen by the team to meet with the media at the South Side headquarters, and that decision, however random, seemed right. Those two represent a new era, and the students have become the teachers. The Steelers Way never really changes, as people inside the organization have attested for generations, because it is passed from one generation to the next.
Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor and Brett Keisel are gone. As that trio — and Aaron Smith, James Farrior and others — once learned from the likes of Joey Porter, Alan Faneca, Jason Gildon and Kimo von Oelhoffen, so, too, were Heyward and Pouncey making it clear that they took notes while being trained by the three recent retirees.
The departure of Keisel hit Heyward particularly hard.
“What we really will miss most about him is the way he talked to the younger guys,” Heyward said before a pause, then, “Now it’s up to us to make up for that.”
Heyward expressed his love for the logo. Even with his contract expiring following this season, Heyward spoke of playing for only one team, and living in only one city. He said he wants to be remembered as a “Steelers great.”
“The Steelers greats don’t go anywhere else,” he said. “James Harrison did for a little while, but he came back. I want to spend my entire life here. Football and after.”
Asked if he was now the leader of the defense, Heyward joked that his hair isn’t gray yet. But he then spoke like a leader.
“I don’t know who they think the leader is,” he said of the younger players on defense. “I just want to get better every day. I want to learn from the young guys and the old guys. I’m excited to grow with this group of guys.”
Pouncey, respected from first drill as a rookie in Latrobe as the leader of the offensive line, spoke glowingly of the younger Steelers. He said of the offense, specifically, that it’s tight and will continue to grow. He sounded like he won’t have it any other way.
“I feel like these guys are my twin brothers,” he said. “I love them to death. We do everything together.”
Heyward and Pouncey addressed some offseason news, too:
• Pouncey, on Ben Roethlisberger’s new contract: “We’ve got to keep him upright. He got paid again.”
• Heyward, on Jason Worilds‘ stunning retirement: “I was a little surprised. Everybody was. But he’s a quiet guy. Everybody respects his decision.”
• Heyward, on the transition to new defensive coordinator Keith Butler: “There won’t be too many changes. Maybe a few wrinkles.”
• Pouncey, asked about Deflategate and whether he notices the difference when balls are slightly deflated: “The Patriots won the Super Bowl. And they deserve it.”
• Heyward, on whether he’d welcome opponents going for two-point conversions more often in light of PATs being made more difficult: “Damn right. I want every offense to go for two against us.”
Spoken like a Steeler.