The Pittsburgh Steelers are beginning training camp later than usual with a July 28 report date, giving the team 14 open practices, one less than last year’s 15. The later start to camp means it will also end later, with Pittsburgh’s last practice session coming Aug. 17, compared to Aug. 12 last season.
Former Steeler and current radio analyst Max Starks believes the later start date is indicative of the team being led by a veteran head coach in Mike McCarthy.
“And they’re not going to elect to take that early arrival date for camp. They’re gonna treat it like a veteran-type of training camp. So I think that’s what happens when you have a more old-school, established coach and you have a more seasoned team. You can kind of do those type of things and kind of fast track what you would normally get with a young head coach, first time head coach who’s figuring everything out on the fly to lead a team,” Starks said on SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier this week.
There isn’t really less practice time with the later start, but it does give players more time to rest before reporting to Latrobe for training camp. It’s something that will be welcome by the veteran players.
The later start also gives the Steelers less practice time before they hit the field for the preseason, with their first preseason game coming Aug. 13, just 10 days after their first padded practice.
McCarthy is now coaching his third NFL team, and there isn’t much of a need for him to get himself up to speed. With the Steelers working on installing his scheme during OTAs, there’s less of a need to start things early during training camp, and players getting more rest is a good thing.
It doesn’t mean there’s going to be less work, but it does mean there won’t need to be as much of a ramp-up period, hence the ability to “fast track” things.
It’s a little bit ambitious, given that McCarthy is in his first year with a new team and a new coaching staff. But he seemed to be pleased with how OTAs went, and the Steelers seem to be in a good spot.
Letting players have an extra week off is good for morale and could be good for their health. McCarthy will look to have everyone ready to go for the preseason, even if there’s less work ahead of time.
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