The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line is finally starting to come together after years of rebuilding. The team made a few missteps over the years during that process, though. That includes trading guard Kevin Dotson to the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 for Day 3 draft picks. While Dotson’s Steelers career started off well, he didn’t show a ton of progress after that. However, he’s been great with the Rams. That led to them giving Dotson a hefty contract extension. Recently, he spoke about why things didn’t work for him in Pittsburgh.
“It’s one of those things where, I wasn’t used to being cold all the time, to start off,” Dotson said on the Inside Coverage podcast. “There wasn’t a lot of sun there. Not a lot of stuff to do there. It was like a culture shock, and it really wasn’t in a too positive of a way.
“I love the team overall, but there was definitely stuff behind the scenes that you’re like, ‘Oh, man.’ It kind of ruined an experience for me. But I still loved being down there, the time I was down there.”
Previously, Dotson explained that he felt like the Steelers weren’t using him to his fullest potential. He played left guard with them, but he felt like he was better at right guard. To his credit, he’s backed that up with the Rams. However, it’s clear now that wasn’t the only issue.
Sometimes, a change of scenery can do a lot for a player. Dotson is from Louisiana, which is very different compared to Pittsburgh. Therefore, it’s clear why that different environment would be so tough for him to adjust to. California has a much milder climate, and Los Angeles is one of the biggest cities in the country.
Also, Dotson was a Steelers fan before entering the NFL, and he was excited to get drafted by his favorite team. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like that dream lived up to Dotson’s expectations. He’s vague on the details, and he makes sure to stress how much he appreciated his time there, but it sounds like Dotson’s time with the Steelers wasn’t what he thought it would be.
That’s life in the NFL, though. It’s a business. The Steelers felt a certain way about Dotson, and that caused them to trade him. It’s easy to say that was a bad move, but there’s no guarantee that he would’ve been the same player in Pittsburgh that he is in Los Angeles. Clearly, he’s happier with the Rams.
He even stated that he doesn’t feel like the same player with the Rams as he was with the Steelers.
“I feel like California really opened up something for me, maybe just confidence-wise,” he said.
While the Steelers missed with Dotson, they eventually pieced their offensive line together. They’ve got several quality young players within that group now. The past is the past, and both sides have moved on.
Recommended for you