The heart of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ locker room isn’t the quarterback. Nor is it DL Cam Heyward, the team’s longest-tenured player. Heyward will be the first to admit that, giving the nod to the team Director of Player Development, Darrel Young. He’s far from being the most visible man on the Steelers’ coaching staff, and his job isn’t to teach anyone how to throw the ball or tackle. Instead, he’s helping in the lives of each player to keep their focus on being the best football player possible.
Joining Heyward’s [latest Not Just Football podcast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCwqj8A_8Uw), Heyward gave Young his due.
“DY is our player development coach,” Heyward said. “He works with rookies, vets. He does everything in our locker room. He really is the nucleus and the glue that helps fill in for every player who comes here. I’ve been fortunate enough to have guys like Ray Jackson and others that I really respect.”
While Young works with every player on the roster, his impact on all new faces is critical. He plays a large role with the Steelers’ rookies, introducing them to the city and, for many, life on their own for the first time. Pittsburgh drafted young players at the top of this year’s class; DL Derrick Harmon and RB Kaleb Johnson are only 21, making someone with Young’s wisdom valuable.
“I have a lot of respect for you and getting a chance to know you,” Heyward said to Young. “Because all you did was care about the players. All you did was go out of your way to show players the way.”
Per the Steelers’ media guide, here’s how Young’s role is defined.
_“Young works with players to adjust to life during and after their NFL careers. He focuses on developing rookies as they navigate through the Steelers University life skills program, which promotes best practices for success on and off the field. He also provides career support for those seeking to advance their interests off the field and transition to life after football.”_
Young can relate on multiple levels. An NFL fullback from 2009-2017, he spent most of his time with the Washington Redskins, the Steelers hired him in 2021. [Steelers Depot interviewed him](https://steelersdepot.com/2021/07/interview-darrel-young-ready-to-serve-guide-steelers-players-off-the-field/) a few months later; Young said his background would allow him to understand even the most complex situations a player could present.
“Understanding what you’re going to go through,” he told us that July. “If you’re cut, if you’re a starter, if you’re only playing special teams, I went through every emotion as a starter besides getting $100 million…I went through it all. I went through a breakup, stolen identity. I wanted to get in front of that and assist players. Not to tell them my story but to talk about best practices and how to get in front of some of those things.”
Young is working with the Steelers’ latest class of rookies, a group headlined by a first-rounder in Harmon. Expectations are high, and rookies no longer sit and learn. They’re thrown into the deep end of the pool. Joining Harmon on Heyward’s podcast, Young said he’ll make sure Harmon’s head stays above water.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got a good group of vets around you…you’ve got people who care about you,” Young told Harmon. “You’re not alone. That’s the good about what we’re doing every day.”
Any NFL player past their rookie year will universally agree that the first year is the hardest. Adjusting to an NFL playbook and the speed of the game are apparent enough. The physical demands are plain to see. But the mental grind is the most challenging part, players working from fall camp of their final college season through their last amateur year, followed by All-Star games, the NFL Combine, Pro Days, private workouts and visits, and the draft. Quickly following that is the rookie minicamp, spring practices, training camp, preseason, regular season, and hopefully, the playoffs. For 18 months, it’s a non-stop train.
While Young ensures players’ support, he doesn’t sugarcoat what’s ahead for guys like Harmon.
“You’re going to hit the wall in November,” he said. “We got you. You might have to take one less snap, but you’re going to play. We need you. Hell of a draft this year.”
Some of the NFL’s most important jobs aren’t visible: the man who manages the salary cap, the training and athletic staff, and people like Darrell Young, who take care of everything off the field so players can focus on their on-field roles.