The Pittsburgh Steelers addressed their secondary depth on Tuesday by agreeing to terms with S Darnell Savage. Savage brings athleticism and experience to the Steelers’ safety corps, with 83 starts and 93 appearances since 2017.
Our own Alex Kozora broke down Savage’s film to give us an understanding of what Savage brings on the field. But who is he as a person? Here are five things to know about the Steelers’ newest safety.
Turned Down Penn State, Went To Maryland
Savage could have actually played in Pennsylvania well before he agreed to join the Steelers. Penn State offered him a scholarship in his senior year. However, Savage went to the University of Maryland. Savage felt like Maryland’s head coach at the time, Randy Edsall, truly cared about him as a person, not just as a football player.
“It was Coach Edsall that told my coach to have me give him a call,” Savage said in an interview with the Baltimore Sun. “He really opened my eyes to a lot because I realized what a great guy he is. I really realized that he just wants what’s best for me, and that’s in the classroom, in the football field and in life, in general.”
Scout.com national recruiting analyst Brian Dohn shared his perspective on Savage’s recruitment and how the Terrapins locked him down. A big part of that was how Maryland and Edsall stuck with Savage after he broke his leg during his junior year of high school.
“They did Darnell Savage the right way,” Dohn said in that same Baltimore Sun article. “The kid got hurt as a junior. They stayed with him. He’s in the hospital with a broken leg. They’re talking to him all the time. Darnell Savage, if he wanted to by the time it was over, could’ve had 20 offers. Penn State was coming in on him and he said, ‘No thanks’ because he was that loyal to Maryland.”
Played Corner Before Transitioning To Safety After Freshman Year
Maryland’s secondary underwent massive changes after Savage’s freshman year. The Terrapins lost three starters after that season, leaving a lack of experience and a lack of starting safeties. After Maryland added another starting corner via transfer, Savage switched to safety at his coach’s request.
“As far as the transition, I don’t think it was that hard because wherever you play, you have to know what everyone else is doing, too,” Savage said his sophomore season per Testudo Times. “Either way, you have to know the whole defense. Playing safety definitely helped me focus more on that because you have to make some of the calls.”
His Pre-Game Snack Sounds More Like Pre-Video Game Snack
Every football player has some sort of pre-game ritual, meal, or snack they partake in. Darnell Savage is no different in that regard. However, what his pre-game snack is (or at least used to be) might be a bit different than you’d expect from an elite athlete.
“I drink Mountain Dew and I eat a couple Sour Patch Kids,” Savage said in a pre-Combine interview with Team CarnoSyn. Savage then admitted that’s not quite true. “I eat not a couple, I eat the whole bag. That’s pretty much my pre-game ritual.”
His Father Created A Tackle Football League For Him Because None Existed
Darnell Savage Sr., Savage’s father, played college football at Delaware State. He wanted more opportunities for his son to develop his football talents. Unfortunately, there was no tackle football league in their home area. So, he set out to fix that.
“When Darnell Jr. was 7 years old, his father thought he was ready for tackle football,” ESPN’s Rob Demovsky wrote shortly after the Green Bay Packers drafted Savage. “But no league existed in their town for kids that young. So Darnell Sr., who worked for the local parks and recreation department, started one with the help of a friend — fellow Seaford native Antwan Lake, who at the time was a defensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons.”
That’s a committed father. He wanted better for his son, and when there wasn’t an easy way, he made it happen anyway.
Savage’s Mount Rushmore Of Safeties Includes A Former Steeler
It’s always interesting to hear players talk about their favorite players at their position. It gives us insight into how they approach their position. Darnell Savage is no different. When he sat down for Rapid Questions while with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he was asked who is on his Mount Rushmore. He included a former Steeler along with an AFC North rival.
“I’m gonna put Ed and Sean, Sean Taylor, at the top,” Savage said, referencing former Baltimore Ravens S Ed Reed. “I like Troy Polamalu’s game. He’s just a little dude, just going out there, just going crazy. Then, I like the big safeties too, Kam Chancellor, guys like that.”
No doubt Savage has a love for athletic safeties who can make plays, either by picking off passes or by delivering bone-crunching hits. It just so happens that Polamalu was equally at home snagging passes as he was making highlight reel-worthy tackles.
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