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Steelers Camp Tomlin Officially Over
Posted: 1:03 pm EDT July 28, 2008Updated: 9:57 am EDT August 18, 2008
LATROBE, Pa. -- Pittsburgh Steelers training camp is wrapped up at St. Vincent College in Latrobe.Refresh this page throughout the day for updates.
Day 22the Pittsburgh Steelers officially break camp today. They take on the Minnesota Vikings Saturday night in Minneapolis.
Day 21The Steelers signed a familiar face. Orpheus Roye agreed to terms with the team. Roye is a defensive end. Roye played with the Steelers from 1996 to 2000.Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch made an appearance at camp. Batch recently had surgery on his throwing shoulder, and was seen wearing a sling.
Day 20Troy Polamalu is expected to return to practice with the team on Tuesday. Polamalu has been on the physically unable to perform list since the start of camp with a hamstring injury.Santonio Holmes will return punts in the Steelers next exhibition game against the Minnesota Vikings.Coach Mike Tomlin announced that the center position is still up for grabs between Justin Hartwig and Sean Mahan.
Day 19No practices are scheduled today.
Day 18Shaking off a sluggish performance in the Bills' preseason opener last week, Trent Edwards was near-perfect in two series, going 9-for-11 for 104 yards and two touchdowns, in Buffalo's 24-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night in Toronto."Well, I don't know all the words to that song, but I'll say this: We're very excited just in the fact that we feel we improved off last week's performance," Edwards said, referring to a forgettable outing in which he went 1-of-5 for 18 yards in a 17-14 loss at Washington last weekend.Against the Steelers, Edwards overcame adversity, three times converting third-down situations, including a 22-yard scamper up the middle to erase a third-and-11 deep in Bills territory. He showed he could go deep, opening the game with a 33-yard pass to Lee Evans. And Edwards showed great touch in hitting tight end Robert Royal for both scores, including a 13-yarder to cap an 11-play, 90-yard drive.Of those 90 yards, Edwards accounted for 79.Fullback Darian Barnes was certainly impressed with the offense and Edwards, the 2007 third-round draft pick who took over the starting job ahead of J.P. Losman midway through last season."Polished. He seemed very very polished," Barnes said. "It almost wasn't really a surprise because you see him do it in practice, and he came out and had such a command over the offense. It's a good feeling."The Bills sealed the win when rookie first-round draft pick Leodis McKelvin scored on an electric 95-yard kickoff return immediately after Pittsburgh cut it to 17-14 on Rashard Mendenhall's 6-yard runThe Steelers (1-1) were inconsistent, lacking finish on both offense and defense in suffering their first loss in four preseason trips north of the border.Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a solid outing, going 9-of-11 for 142 yards with a touchdown -- a 40-yarder to Santonio Holmes -- in three series.More focus was on the Steelers' backup situation, with newly signed Byron Leftwich making his first appearance after Charlie Batch broke his collarbone in a 16-10 win over Philadelphia last week.Leftwich completed his first attempt, a 24-yarder over the middle to Nate Washington, but then proved inconsistent, looking like someone who had only three days to pick up the Steelers offense.The former Jacksonville starter finished 5-of-11 for 41 yards during six series."I got my feet wet," said Leftwich, who made his first on-field appearance since losing the starting job in Atlanta to Joey Harrington following a 31-7 loss to Tampa Bay on Nov. 18. "As comfortable as you can feel with two days (of practice), I think some good things happened, though."Leftwich did acknowledge he had to ask Mendenhall about how a play went."He sat there and just smiled and we laughed about it. But those things happen," Leftwich said.Coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged he put Leftwich in a tough situation this week."I think it was a nice start for him. We'll see where it goes," Tomlin said.The announced attendance of 48,434 was about 5,000 short of capacity, and considered a disappointment for series organizers, who are paying the Bills an average $9.75 million per game to show the NFL that Toronto can be home to a permanent franchise. Steep ticket prices, ranging from $75 to $575, didn't help. Hours before the game, fans were purchasing tickets with a $575 face value for as little as $90.
Day 17The Steelers head to Toronto to take on the Buffalo Bills tomorrow. They have no open practices today.
Day 16The Steelers practiced in pads and shorts this afternoon in Latrobe while taking part in thorough team workouts. Coach Tomlin was in a particularly good mood as practice got under way. WPXI.com intern Nick Troyer was there to take in the action.Casey Hampton made his much anticipated debut at Steelers practice and was immediately inserted into his first team nose tackle position on the defense.Steelers all-pro safety Troy Polamalu worked out briefly with trainers before having his groin wrapped and taking the rest of practice in from the sideline. Polamalu is still on the team's physically unable to perform list and his progress is described as "status quo" by Tomlin.Starting cornerback Deshea Townsend sat out of the afternoon practice with his hamstring injury and will be held out of the Steelers' second preseason contest Thursday night.Newly signed quarterback Byron Leftwich continues to work hard in preparation for the Steelers' next preseason game against the Buffalo Bills."I wish the game was on Saturday to be honest with you," Leftwich said. "That would give me more time to get familiar with the offense."The talk of camp on Day 16 had to deal with coach Tomlin and safety Anthony Smith's reaction to regarded columnist Gene Collier's Saturday work in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. The column refererred to Smith's questionable hits on teammates, including Hines Ward, during non-contact drills as acts of "training camp thuggery." Tomlin and Smith took exception to the comment inferring that the columnists' terminology painted a skewed picture of Smith as a person.The Steelers will participate in a team walk through tomorrow before travelling to Canada for Thursday's game in Toronto against the Bills.Head coach Mike Tomlin held his pregame news conference on Tuesday at St. Vincent College.Video: Watch Segment Of News ConferenceTomlin said the team looked good last week, and he was happy that the penalties were low.New backup quarterback Byron Leftwich is expected to get a substantial amount of playing time on Thursday when the Steelers take on the Buffalo Bills in Toronto.Listed as questionable for the game are Troy Polamalu and Deshea Townsend.Tomlin gave the team the morning off. After gathering on the practice field at St. Vincent College, Tomlin informed his players of the "bone" he threw. Last night, players were chanting for a movie night during practice, however, Tomlin didn't budge. Tuesday's announcement was greeted with cheers.
Day 15The Steelers had a closed morning practice at St. Vincent College on Monday but WPXI.com intern Josh Gialloreto was present for the afternoon practice that started at 2:55 p.m.Practice began with warm-ups and stretches as always. However, as the whole team stretched together, all the players sang in unison, "We need a movie day!" The singing request was started by the defensive backs yelling, "Come on coach, throw us a bone." Within seconds the rest of the team gathered in the protest.Coach Tomlin held his ground and the team practiced rather than watch movies.Newest Steeler, quarterback Byron Leftwich, joined the team for the first time since signing his new one-year contract. Gialloreto reported that Leftwich practiced with the first team offense in 11-on-11 drills and put in extra work throwing to the Steelers receivers. Although Monday was Leftwich's first team practice, he appeared to be rather comfortable with his new surroundings.Monday's practice was interrupted by rain about an hour into drills. Though most of the players begged for signs of lightning and a practice cancelation, practice went on without delay.Gialloreto said that the rain appeared to hinder some of the receivers during passing drills.Sure-handed tightend Matt Spaeth and receiver Santonio Holmes had several passes slip through their hands due to wet balls. Prior to the rain, Holmes continued to show signs of a breakout season as he made several extraordinary catches from quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Leftwich.Punter Mitch Berger, the Steelers other recent signee, also practiced on Monday. The 13-year vet saw limited action on Monday, practicing his punting mainly by himself. Steelers fans will have to wait until tomorrow to see what Berger can offer. Berger will battle Paul Ernster for the team's starting punter job.After a hard-fought preseason game on Friday night, several Steelers did not participate in Monday's practice. Joining PUP-lister Troy Polamalu on the sidelines were defensive lineman Kyle Clement, linebackers James Harrison and Mike Humpal, and defensive backs Deshea Townsend and Ryan Mundy, who wore a walking cast on his left leg. Backup quarterback Charlie Batch was also abscent from practice after he broke his collerbone in Friday's game.Gialloreto said that Ben Roethlisberger had the number 16 largely taped to the side of his helmet in honor of Batch.The Steelers continue practice on Tuesday in Latrobe before heading to Toronto for their game on Thursday against the Buffalo Bills.
Day 14The Steelers activated Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton from the physically unable to perform list, where he had been since failing his conditioning test July 27.The Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran quarterback Byron Leftwich on Sunday, choosing the former Jacksonville Jaguars starter over Daunte Culpepper, a three-time Pro Bowl player.The Steelers signed 28-year-old Leftwich after both he and Culpepper worked out Sunday morning at the team St.Vincent College.The Steelers were in the market for a backup to Ben Roethlisberger after veteran Charlie Batch broke his right collarbone Friday night against the Philadelphia Eagles at Heinz Field. Batch, who is to have surgery Monday, is expected to miss four to six weeks.The Steelers also signed veteran punter Mitch Berger on Sunday to compete with Paul Ernster.Punter Daniel Sepulveda, a fourth-round draft pick in 2007, tore an anterior cruciate ligament on the first day of practice, ending his season.The 35-year-old Berger is a 12-year veteran with a career average of 43.1 yards on five different teams, including Arizona in 2007.To make room for Leftwich and Berger on the roster, the team waived wide receiver Gerran Walker and linebacker Anthony Trucks.
Day 13The Steelers have no scheduled practices for today.Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers on an eight-play, 80-yard opening drive culminating in a 19-yard touchdown toss to Santonio Holmes and the Steelers used two Jeff Reed field goals down the stretch to upend the Eagles 16-10 in the preseason opener for both teams last night at Heinz Field.It wasn't all good for the Steelers though as quarterback Charlie Batch left the game with a broken right collarbone in the second quarter.A pair of Steelers rookies fared well in their debuts as receiver Limas Sweed led the receiving corps with three catches for 23 yards and running back Rashard Mendenhall carried seven times for 34 yards.Kicker Jeff Reed had an impressive first game, nailing field goals from 20, 24 and 50 yards.
Day 12The Steelers are set to take on the Philadelphia Eagles tonight at Heinz Field in their first pre-season game.Troy Polamalu and Casey Hampton, both of who are on the physically unable to perform list, are the only two that will not play in the game, head coach Mike Tomlin said.Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is expected to play at least one series. First round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall and second round pick Limas Sweed could see quite a bit of action in Friday's game.Expect to see numerous players fielding punts and kickoffs, including Jeremy Bloom, Eddie Drummond, Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore. Although Drummond has been seen at camp fielding most kicks, the starter has yet to be determined.
Day 11The Steelers' practices today are closed to the public as the team gears up for its first pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday at Heinz Field.
Day 10The Steelers completed their last tune up before their pre-season matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles Friday night at Heinz Field.There were no Steelers who missed practice outside of Troy Polamalu and Casey Hampton, who both remain on the physically unable to perform list. All players who have missed time with one injury or another over the course of training camp are expected to see action on Friday.Things got a little chippy during 7-on-7 drills when safety Anthony Smith took a high and hard shot at wide receiver Hines Ward. Smith has been known to stir things up during practices as he has had skirmishes with wide receiver Willie Reid both this year and last.A big question this training camp has been about who will start on the offensive line by week one. Two key battles are at center and right tackle. Sean Mahan will start against Philadelphia on Friday over Justin Hartwig, but coach Tomlin has said that is one of the better battles in camp and is in no way resolved. Willie Colon looks to be the front runner for the starting right tackle spot ahead of Max Starks who will make about $7 million this season as the teams transition player.One other noteable development during the afternoon practice was that Casey Hampton was seen working out with a helmet on while working out on the lower field. Teammates on the defensive line were jokingly giving him a hard time when they saw Hampton toting around his helmet before the practice began.The Steelers will not practice tomorrow in preparation for their match-up against the Eagles in two nights. Coach Tomlin said the first teams will see limited action but the starting group at offensive line could log a full quarters worth of action.Following the team's morning practice in Latrobe, head coach Mike Tomlin held his weekly pre-game news conference.Video: Watch The Entire News ConferenceTomlin said he's excited to get back on Heinz Field in front of the awesome Pittsburgh crowd. He said the city can expect to see some big name players on the field, too.Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has been taking it easy during training camp after injuring his groin last week, will play, Tomlin said.
Video Blog: Joking Around With Big BenThe coaches, according to Tomlin, will be looking at players who have progressed throughout camp, and they will be paying close attention to those who can tackle, make big plays, finish their runs and finish their hits.Tomlin said the crowd can expect to see Pittsburgh native Eddie Drummond, along with Mewelde Moore and Jeremy Bloom taking kicks. No. draft pick Rashard Mendenhall and Willie Reed could also field some kicks, too, Tomlin said.Out for the game are: Strong safety Troy Polamalu, nose tackle Casey Hampton, free safety Anthoney Smith and tight end Cody Boyd.Probable, according to Tomlin, are cornerback William Gay and cornerback Deshea Townsend.The team held a closed morning practice at St. Vincent followed by a public afternoon practice at 2:55 p.m. Stay with Channel 11 News for updates throughout the day.
Day 9WPXI.com intern Josh Gialloreto was in Latrobe again on Tuesday to cover Day 9 of head coach Mike Tomlin's training camp.The team practiced from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday evening and worked mainly on positioning drills for the majority of practice. The team did practice its 11-on-11 schemes as well. Again, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger did not participate with the first team offense on 11-on-11 drills.During 11-on-11, the defense continued to out-play the offense on Tuesday, forcing four interceptions throughout the evening (two by Charlie Batch and two by Dennis Dixon). Several players shined on defense as they helped lead their unit to victory over the offense. Linebacker James Harrison was very impressive on Tuesday -- as he has been for all of camp -- after missing practice on Monday. Linebacker LaMarr Woodley and safety Ryan Clark also stood out in the 11-on-11 drills.The biggest story out of camp on Tuesday was the status of guard Chris Kemoeatu, who was taken off the physically unable to perform list on Monday. Kemoeatu practiced with the first team offense for the entire day and wore a large brace around his left elbow that protected nearly his entire arm. The 6-3, 344-pounder did not seem as though he had lost a step as he was able to keep up with his fellow linemen throughout practice.Towards the end of practice, the special teams unit practiced punt returns and kicking field goals. Newcomer and Pittsburgh native Eddie Drummond could be seen returning punts along with Willie Reid and Jeremy Bloom. Punter Paul Ernster was off to a rocky start, punting several balls out-of-bounds and under 40-yards before he got into his rhythm and began to consistently bang out 50+ yard punts.For the second time in as many days, several Steelers did not practice on Tuesday due to various injuries. PUP-listers Troy Polamalu and Casey Hampton have yet to participate in training camp and defensive backs Deshea Townsend, William Gay and Anthony Smith, and tight end Cody Boyd missed Tuesday's practice.Gialloreto said that there were a couple of surprise visitors who appeared at the evening practice. Steelers' owner Dan Rooney joined the team on the practice field and watched his franchise prepare for the upcoming season. Also, Bill Hillgrove, the voice of the Steelers, was in attendance. He did play-by-play from Chuck Noll Field's press box.During goal line drills at the end of practice, the offense scored only twice. The two touchdowns were by running backs Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall.“Thirty-nine is a guy that could potentially be a guy in that area. We'll see. What's his name? “Willie Parker. Yeah, he had a nice run,” Tomlin joked after practice."It was nice for me to get in,” said Parker. “I'm in the locker room with a whole lot of defensive guys and I told them, ‘I'm going to get two cracks at it.’ I thought I would get two. I only got one. But I told them I would go undefeated, and I did what I had to do.”The Steelers held a closed morning practice on Tuesday while the team prepares for its first pre-season game on Friday against the Philadelphia Eagles at Heinz Field.
Day 8The team's afternoon practice could have ended sooner at St. Vincent College this afternoon but Coach Mike Tomlin deemed an attempted field goal by Jeff Reed, that if good would have ended practice, sailed just wide from 50 yards. Reed would later make another field goal to send the Steelers to the locker room.After practice coach Tomlin suggested that maybe both field goals were in fact true.Wide receiver Hines Ward, who sat out of the morning practice, suited up for the afternoon session and was seen warming up with the team.Right guard Kendall Simmons sat out the afternoon practice, but left guard Chris Kemoeatu made his much anticipated training camp debut.Linebacker James Harrison, cornerback Deshea Townsend and defensive end Brett Keisel were notable members of the defense who did not participate during afternoon practice.Wide receiver Nate Washington looked good in the afternoon practice, catching one deep bomb down the sideline for a touchdown. Tight end Heath Miller also stood out during the afternoon practice, along with LaMar Woodley. Max Starks was the most consistent performer on the offensive line and played left tackle for starter Marvel Smith, who was absent from afternoon practice.Pittsburgh native Eddie Drummond, who the team signed last week, looked most comfortable fielding kicks and punts during special teams practice.Ben Roethlisberger did not participate in the team portion of afternoon practice, but he said he will play in Friday's pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles."Getting ready to play Philly, and I know it's going to be a short week and short time on the field, but it's going to feel good just to get out there and get hit for the first time,” Roethlisberger said. “You know, I don't want to get hit, but it's always a good thing to get that first one out of the way. Hopefully it's just a little love tap on the sideline or something."Rookie quarterbacks Dennis Dixon and the recently signed Mike Potts led the offense in one 2-minute-drill each. Dixon led the team quickly to the 5-yard-line but made a costly mistake by not getting out of bounds during a scramble and a precious timeout was wasted. Potts led his unit to a touchdown sticking a nice ball into the hands of wideout Willie Reid who held onto the ball in tight traffic while taking a pretty good hit.Second round draft pick Limas Sweed hasn't practiced much since being carted off the field last week. Sweed said it was mainly a dehydration issue, but the wide receiver has yet to see significant action since.Nose tackle Casey Hampton can still be seen at practices running and using the stationary bike.Brett Kiesel sat out of the afternoon practice.The Steelers began their second full week of practice with a morning workout on Monday.Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t go into the 11-on-11 drills, rather stays in on the 7-on-7 drills and individual workouts.According to him, everything is OK.“It’s good to get mental reps and be able to help the young guys and receivers and see things from behind every once in a while,” Roethlisberger said. “It’s important right now to be able to get a feel of what receivers are going to do on certain things. I m not taking any steps back, so that s good.”
Video: Big Ben Talks About Week 2 Of CampIt seems like coaches playing it smart in camp, too, giving some of the veterans days off.“Got to,” said Roethlisberger. “We’re a week in now, and it’s time to give us some bones. It’s well deserved. Guys like Hines (Ward), and other guys deserve it.“Ward was given the morning off on Monday.This weekend, the Steelers brought in rookie center Doug Legursky, while rookie kicker Julian Rauch was released.The 6 foot 1 inch, 323-pound Legursky signed in April as an undrafted rookie free agent but was released June 29. He was a three-time all-Conference USA choice who started the final 32 games of his college career at Marshall.With Rauch's departure, the Steelers have one kicker, incumbent Jeff Reed, and one healthy punter, Paul Ernster, in camp.
Day 7The Steelers returned to the practice field on Sunday for one practice at 2:55, which was open to the public.The practice featured one of the annual highlights of training camp, the goal line drill, which coach Mike Tomlin said he was pleased with the defense.The defense stopped the offense on five out of seven tries.Forllowing the drill, Tomlin noted that he was unhappy with No. draft pick Rashard Mendehall's performance.
Day 6Saturday marked the first weekend practice for the team. They held an open practice to the public at St. Vincent College at 2:55 p.m.Ben Roethlisberger sat out most of practice with an injured groin. He only participated in the seven on seven drills, and is listed as day to day.“We knew he was going to be a little sore coming out,” said Tomlin. “He wanted to give it a go, see if he could get it warm. He did as much as he could do. We are exercising a little caution. It’s always a quality opportunity to give reps to young guys like Dennis Dixon and Mike Potts. That’s the way we approach it.”Lamarr Woodley was also out with a groin injury.
Day 5Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was injured at Friday night's practice at Latrobe High School.The Steelers said Big Ben suffered a minor groin injury.Head coach Mike Tomlin indicated that the injury was not that big of a deal.Before the start of the night practice, the team was excited to give the crowd a show, Tomlin said.“We will go out and be physical,” Tomlin said of Friday night’s practice. “Hopefully, we will give fans something to look at. We will compete a bit. We draw energy from the great crowds at training camp. We have backs online backers and blitz. That will be the highlight. We will focus on red zone, make people stand up and defend the precious grass.”The team wrapped up their morning practice at St, Vincent College shortly before noon on Friday.
Day 4One day after second-round draft pick Limas Sweed was carted off the practice field, the Pittsburgh Steelers found out their newest wide receiver does have a physical defect -- but not an injury. An eye test resulted in Sweed returning to camp Thursday with contact lenses. As for being carted off the field a day earlier, Sweed had cramps. "I just went in and had them checked out, and they told me, 'You know, you have a little astigmatism,"' said Sweed, who said he has always been prone to cramps and dehydration and neglected to take his salt tablet Wednesday. "I'm happy because I never knew. Now I can be 20/20 and be back in action."WPXI.com intern Josh Gialloreto said that early into practice on Thursday, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger rolled an ankle and fell to the turf. Luckily for Ben, (and the rest of Steelers Nation,) the injury was not serious. He was back on his feet about 30 seconds later and did not miss a snap.PUP list nose tackle Casey Hampton continued to get into playing shape. He spent a good amount of time running 50-yard sprints on Thursday. Hampton finished the day riding the stationary bike.Gialloreto reported that kicker Jeff Reed was seen testing out holders after punter/holder Daniel Sepulveda tore his ACL on Monday, requiring surgery.Although Sepulveda has a torn ACL, he has not been place on the IR and he was present at practice with only a bandage to protect his injured knee. He did not appear to be in significant pain as he participated in light drills throughout the afternoon.Sepulveda's replacement, Paul Ernster looked to be a bit restricted during warmups with punts under 40 yards. But that changed during special teams drills. Ernster was averaging 50-plus yards a punt, hitting 60 yards on a couple.Pittsburgh native and former Penn State University all-pro return specialist Eddie Drummond was signed by the Steelers on Thursday. Drummond spent Thursday working out and practicing with the team. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2002.
Video: Drummond Happy To Be SignedSafety Troy Polamalu, who was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of camp, was seen practicing more on Thursday without equipment. Polamalu was more involved Thursday than he was earlier in the week, working with the defensive backs in position drills.Head coach Mike Tomlin brought in referees to officiate the entire practice. The officials seemed to keep most players on their toes. The officials made penalty calls during all drills, including position drills and formation drills.The offensive line appears to improve on a daily basis, according to Gialloreto. During formation drills on Thursday, the quarterbacks had much more time to read the defense and react. The extra time in the pocket allowed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to hook-up with receiver Hines Ward for a couple of long-yardage catches that excited the crowd.Head coach Mike Tomlin gave the team a break Thursday morning and canceled the practice.
Day 3Head coach Mike Tomlin announced at the end of Day 2 that punter Daniel Sepulveda is the latest to join the list of Steelers with injuries. On Monday, Sepulveda tore the ACL in his right knee and will be sidelined for the rest of the season.Paul Ernster was brought in to replace Sepulveda and began practicing with the team on Wednesday.“I am excited to be here,” said Ernster. “Steelers are a great organization and team. I was excited to get the call. A little jet lagged, but I’m ready to go. “
Video: New Punter Happy To Be At CampDuring the team’s afternoon practice, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger started warming up with some light throwing, while both offense and defense did some walkthroughs.Notable Steelers that did not suit up for day three's afternoon practice were safety Troy Polamalu, linebacker James Farrior and cornerback Bryant McFadden. Meanwhile, after running laps and riding the stationary bike on day two, nose tackle Casey Hampton was nowhere to be found on the practice field in the afternoon of day three.WPXI.com intern Brett Jula said wide receiver Santonio Holmes had a couple of nice catches during practice, including a 50-yard diving catch that pleased the large crowd.No. 2 draft pick Limas Sweed had a nice catch downfield on a throw from back-up quarterback Charlie Batch, which he followed with a tough stiff arm to a defensive player trying to tackle him.On another pass to Sweed, safety Ryan Clark had a leaping interception, almost pulling the pass in off Sweed’s head.A small on-field scuffle broke out toward mid-practice between right tackle Willie Colon and linebacker Keyaron Fox. Players and coaches quickly seperated the two players before it escalated any further.In the team's 10-minute no-huddle scrimmage, Ben Roethlisberger played four downs and was efficient moving the ball, going 3-for-3. Roethlisberger connected with top draft pick Rashard Mendenhall for a moderate gain and hit on big plays to wide receiver Hines Ward and tight end Heath Miller.
Day 2The sideline scoop from WPXI.com intern Josh Gialloreto is that Casey Hampton has been working hard on the stationary bike and treadmill during the team’s second practice of the day.Slideshow: Steelers Training Camp Behind The Scenes Day 2Hampton was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after failing to complete the team’s conditioning test on Sunday.The team warmed up for about 30 minutes Tuesday afternoon before getting into the meat of their practice.Gialloreto said veterans, including Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison and Hines Ward, warmed up without pads while the rest of the team was in full gear. All players were in full equipment when drills started.As the team began practice in the afternoon, left guard Chris Kemoeatu, who was also placed on the PUP list due to a triceps injury, was seen jogging and sprinting lightly.Throughout the afternoon, second-year receiver Jeremy Bloom looked very impressive. Though a long shot to make the team's starting roster, Bloom received several accolades from coaches during return drills and receiving exercises. Don't be surprised if the 5 foot 9 inch, 180-pounder hangs around longer than expected.The team participated in a controlled scrimage towards the end of the day in which the first-team defense appeared to get the better of its offensive counterpart. However, although quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was under constant pressure, he and wideout Hines Ward were able to connect on several nice plays.Unsurprisingly, linebacker James Harrison stood out amongst his defensive peers in the scrimage. Limas Sweed had a couple of diving catches in the afternoon practice that got the crowd cheering. Aside from Sweed, wide receiver Santonio Holmes was seen practicing his one-handed catches. During one-on-one drills, it appeared as if head coach Mike Tomlin was matching up linebacker James Harrison against tight end Matt Spaeth quite a bit.During the morning on Tuesday, practice began with a team walk-through for players in the St. Vincent College gymnasium. The team then moved to the practice field at about 10 a.m. and worked out for about an hour.Video Blog: Bill Phillips Live From St. Vincent CollegeCasey Hampton, who is still on the team’s physically unable to perform list, could be seen working out individually in order to shed the necessary pounds to join his teammates on the field. Training camp sideline reporterA player of particular interest and who will no doubt be under the spotlight is the team’s second round pick, wide-out Limas Sweed. The big target receiver that Big Ben coveted is trying to find his place during his first professional camp.
Video: Limas Sweed Making An Impression“Right now, this is why they have training camp, to figure out what the spots are,” said Sweed. “Where ever they put me at I go there and do the best I can do.”Notes: DB Troy Polamalu (hamstring) didn't wear a protective wrap but was again held out of practice. ... WR Limas Sweed stood out in coverage drills during a morning special teams practice. ... With Sepulveda out, backup QB Charlie Batch filled in as K Jeff Reed's holder. ... Tomlin on dealing with injuries: "The teams that rise in the end are the teams that are capable of dealing with distractions and things like this."
Day 1Coming into the start of training camp on Monday, three players have been placed on the physically unable to perform list: Nose tackle Casey Hampton: Hampton did not finish the team's annual run test on Sunday. He told Channel 11 News that he was told not to finish the run after reporting to camp at weight above the limit set by Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.“Whatever he wants done, I will do it,” Hampton said. “Come game time, I will be ready to play.” Safety Troy Polamalu: Polamalu injured his hamstring while working out on his own during the off-season. Left guard Chris Kemoeatu was placed on the list due to a triceps injury.None of the injuries appear to be serious, team officials said. No. 1 draft pick Rashard Mendenhall is going through some rookie hazing, but nothing too serious. Mendenhall, like all rookies, has to carry the helmet and shoulder pads of one of the veterans."My pads are cool," Mendenhall said. "But carrying some of the vets' pads, you know, that starts to wear on you walking up (the) hill."
Video: Mendenhall Talks About Camp“Its good to be working and to be practicing,” Mendenhall said after practice. “Everyday out here is a day toward the season. That's what we're here to do.”Defensive end Brett Keisel appeared to be excited to be back at St. Vincent College as he joked with reporters about Hampton's physical condition and returning to camp. Keisel jokingly attributed Hampton's extra poundage to eating too many marshmallows in the off-season and said his favorite part of training camp was getting back together with old friends, including the media.
Video: Steelers Talk About Casey Hampton's Weight While Hampton Talks MarshmallowsTons of fans showed up for the team's afternoon practice on Monday and many of the players stopped to sign autographs, including safety Ryan Clark and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.Roethlisberger was also seen giving away signed wristbands and shoes.“Offensively, it could've gone better. “Roethlisberger said after practice. “Defensively, it went well today. We have to pick it up on offense, but, you know, it's the first day. We'll be alright.”Coach Mike Tomlin said he was pleased with what he saw the first full day of camp.“Far from perfection, but that's what day one's about,” said Tomlin. “Great enthusiasm, heard some great communication, very well for the first day. Overall, good hustle.”Wide receiver Nate Washington was among the fan favorites on Monday, as he was seen in camp sporting a newly cut mohawk.Former Steelers linebacker Kevin Greene is at camp this year working with the linebackers. Former center Jeff Hartings also attened camp, but not to coach. He was there watching practice with his sons.Notes: CB Bryant McFadden and safety Anthony Smith didn't complete the afternoon practice because of minor groin injuries. ... LB James Harrison ran over rookie OT Tony Hills on three successive plays during a pass protection drill. Tomlin said, "If he doesn't want to be blocked, it's very difficult to block him." ... Just as they did early in camp last season, several wide receivers were upset when Smith gave WR Willie Reid a hard shot during a non-contact drill, resulting in a brief skirmish. Reid, in danger of not making the team, also got into a tussle with LB Andre Frazier. ... Tomlin on the first day of his second Steelers training camp: "I liked the way guys ran on both sides of the ball and liked how they finished. That's always a great start. It was far from perfection, but that's what day one is about."
Day 22the Pittsburgh Steelers officially break camp today. They take on the Minnesota Vikings Saturday night in Minneapolis.
Day 21The Steelers signed a familiar face. Orpheus Roye agreed to terms with the team. Roye is a defensive end. Roye played with the Steelers from 1996 to 2000.Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch made an appearance at camp. Batch recently had surgery on his throwing shoulder, and was seen wearing a sling.
Day 20Troy Polamalu is expected to return to practice with the team on Tuesday. Polamalu has been on the physically unable to perform list since the start of camp with a hamstring injury.Santonio Holmes will return punts in the Steelers next exhibition game against the Minnesota Vikings.Coach Mike Tomlin announced that the center position is still up for grabs between Justin Hartwig and Sean Mahan.
Day 19No practices are scheduled today.
Day 18Shaking off a sluggish performance in the Bills' preseason opener last week, Trent Edwards was near-perfect in two series, going 9-for-11 for 104 yards and two touchdowns, in Buffalo's 24-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night in Toronto."Well, I don't know all the words to that song, but I'll say this: We're very excited just in the fact that we feel we improved off last week's performance," Edwards said, referring to a forgettable outing in which he went 1-of-5 for 18 yards in a 17-14 loss at Washington last weekend.Against the Steelers, Edwards overcame adversity, three times converting third-down situations, including a 22-yard scamper up the middle to erase a third-and-11 deep in Bills territory. He showed he could go deep, opening the game with a 33-yard pass to Lee Evans. And Edwards showed great touch in hitting tight end Robert Royal for both scores, including a 13-yarder to cap an 11-play, 90-yard drive.Of those 90 yards, Edwards accounted for 79.Fullback Darian Barnes was certainly impressed with the offense and Edwards, the 2007 third-round draft pick who took over the starting job ahead of J.P. Losman midway through last season."Polished. He seemed very very polished," Barnes said. "It almost wasn't really a surprise because you see him do it in practice, and he came out and had such a command over the offense. It's a good feeling."The Bills sealed the win when rookie first-round draft pick Leodis McKelvin scored on an electric 95-yard kickoff return immediately after Pittsburgh cut it to 17-14 on Rashard Mendenhall's 6-yard runThe Steelers (1-1) were inconsistent, lacking finish on both offense and defense in suffering their first loss in four preseason trips north of the border.Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a solid outing, going 9-of-11 for 142 yards with a touchdown -- a 40-yarder to Santonio Holmes -- in three series.More focus was on the Steelers' backup situation, with newly signed Byron Leftwich making his first appearance after Charlie Batch broke his collarbone in a 16-10 win over Philadelphia last week.Leftwich completed his first attempt, a 24-yarder over the middle to Nate Washington, but then proved inconsistent, looking like someone who had only three days to pick up the Steelers offense.The former Jacksonville starter finished 5-of-11 for 41 yards during six series."I got my feet wet," said Leftwich, who made his first on-field appearance since losing the starting job in Atlanta to Joey Harrington following a 31-7 loss to Tampa Bay on Nov. 18. "As comfortable as you can feel with two days (of practice), I think some good things happened, though."Leftwich did acknowledge he had to ask Mendenhall about how a play went."He sat there and just smiled and we laughed about it. But those things happen," Leftwich said.Coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged he put Leftwich in a tough situation this week."I think it was a nice start for him. We'll see where it goes," Tomlin said.The announced attendance of 48,434 was about 5,000 short of capacity, and considered a disappointment for series organizers, who are paying the Bills an average $9.75 million per game to show the NFL that Toronto can be home to a permanent franchise. Steep ticket prices, ranging from $75 to $575, didn't help. Hours before the game, fans were purchasing tickets with a $575 face value for as little as $90.
Day 17The Steelers head to Toronto to take on the Buffalo Bills tomorrow. They have no open practices today.
Day 16The Steelers practiced in pads and shorts this afternoon in Latrobe while taking part in thorough team workouts. Coach Tomlin was in a particularly good mood as practice got under way. WPXI.com intern Nick Troyer was there to take in the action.Casey Hampton made his much anticipated debut at Steelers practice and was immediately inserted into his first team nose tackle position on the defense.Steelers all-pro safety Troy Polamalu worked out briefly with trainers before having his groin wrapped and taking the rest of practice in from the sideline. Polamalu is still on the team's physically unable to perform list and his progress is described as "status quo" by Tomlin.Starting cornerback Deshea Townsend sat out of the afternoon practice with his hamstring injury and will be held out of the Steelers' second preseason contest Thursday night.Newly signed quarterback Byron Leftwich continues to work hard in preparation for the Steelers' next preseason game against the Buffalo Bills."I wish the game was on Saturday to be honest with you," Leftwich said. "That would give me more time to get familiar with the offense."The talk of camp on Day 16 had to deal with coach Tomlin and safety Anthony Smith's reaction to regarded columnist Gene Collier's Saturday work in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. The column refererred to Smith's questionable hits on teammates, including Hines Ward, during non-contact drills as acts of "training camp thuggery." Tomlin and Smith took exception to the comment inferring that the columnists' terminology painted a skewed picture of Smith as a person.The Steelers will participate in a team walk through tomorrow before travelling to Canada for Thursday's game in Toronto against the Bills.Head coach Mike Tomlin held his pregame news conference on Tuesday at St. Vincent College.Video: Watch Segment Of News ConferenceTomlin said the team looked good last week, and he was happy that the penalties were low.New backup quarterback Byron Leftwich is expected to get a substantial amount of playing time on Thursday when the Steelers take on the Buffalo Bills in Toronto.Listed as questionable for the game are Troy Polamalu and Deshea Townsend.Tomlin gave the team the morning off. After gathering on the practice field at St. Vincent College, Tomlin informed his players of the "bone" he threw. Last night, players were chanting for a movie night during practice, however, Tomlin didn't budge. Tuesday's announcement was greeted with cheers.
Day 15The Steelers had a closed morning practice at St. Vincent College on Monday but WPXI.com intern Josh Gialloreto was present for the afternoon practice that started at 2:55 p.m.Practice began with warm-ups and stretches as always. However, as the whole team stretched together, all the players sang in unison, "We need a movie day!" The singing request was started by the defensive backs yelling, "Come on coach, throw us a bone." Within seconds the rest of the team gathered in the protest.Coach Tomlin held his ground and the team practiced rather than watch movies.Newest Steeler, quarterback Byron Leftwich, joined the team for the first time since signing his new one-year contract. Gialloreto reported that Leftwich practiced with the first team offense in 11-on-11 drills and put in extra work throwing to the Steelers receivers. Although Monday was Leftwich's first team practice, he appeared to be rather comfortable with his new surroundings.Monday's practice was interrupted by rain about an hour into drills. Though most of the players begged for signs of lightning and a practice cancelation, practice went on without delay.Gialloreto said that the rain appeared to hinder some of the receivers during passing drills.Sure-handed tightend Matt Spaeth and receiver Santonio Holmes had several passes slip through their hands due to wet balls. Prior to the rain, Holmes continued to show signs of a breakout season as he made several extraordinary catches from quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Leftwich.Punter Mitch Berger, the Steelers other recent signee, also practiced on Monday. The 13-year vet saw limited action on Monday, practicing his punting mainly by himself. Steelers fans will have to wait until tomorrow to see what Berger can offer. Berger will battle Paul Ernster for the team's starting punter job.After a hard-fought preseason game on Friday night, several Steelers did not participate in Monday's practice. Joining PUP-lister Troy Polamalu on the sidelines were defensive lineman Kyle Clement, linebackers James Harrison and Mike Humpal, and defensive backs Deshea Townsend and Ryan Mundy, who wore a walking cast on his left leg. Backup quarterback Charlie Batch was also abscent from practice after he broke his collerbone in Friday's game.Gialloreto said that Ben Roethlisberger had the number 16 largely taped to the side of his helmet in honor of Batch.The Steelers continue practice on Tuesday in Latrobe before heading to Toronto for their game on Thursday against the Buffalo Bills.
Day 14The Steelers activated Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton from the physically unable to perform list, where he had been since failing his conditioning test July 27.The Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran quarterback Byron Leftwich on Sunday, choosing the former Jacksonville Jaguars starter over Daunte Culpepper, a three-time Pro Bowl player.The Steelers signed 28-year-old Leftwich after both he and Culpepper worked out Sunday morning at the team St.Vincent College.The Steelers were in the market for a backup to Ben Roethlisberger after veteran Charlie Batch broke his right collarbone Friday night against the Philadelphia Eagles at Heinz Field. Batch, who is to have surgery Monday, is expected to miss four to six weeks.The Steelers also signed veteran punter Mitch Berger on Sunday to compete with Paul Ernster.Punter Daniel Sepulveda, a fourth-round draft pick in 2007, tore an anterior cruciate ligament on the first day of practice, ending his season.The 35-year-old Berger is a 12-year veteran with a career average of 43.1 yards on five different teams, including Arizona in 2007.To make room for Leftwich and Berger on the roster, the team waived wide receiver Gerran Walker and linebacker Anthony Trucks.
Day 13The Steelers have no scheduled practices for today.Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers on an eight-play, 80-yard opening drive culminating in a 19-yard touchdown toss to Santonio Holmes and the Steelers used two Jeff Reed field goals down the stretch to upend the Eagles 16-10 in the preseason opener for both teams last night at Heinz Field.It wasn't all good for the Steelers though as quarterback Charlie Batch left the game with a broken right collarbone in the second quarter.A pair of Steelers rookies fared well in their debuts as receiver Limas Sweed led the receiving corps with three catches for 23 yards and running back Rashard Mendenhall carried seven times for 34 yards.Kicker Jeff Reed had an impressive first game, nailing field goals from 20, 24 and 50 yards.
Day 12The Steelers are set to take on the Philadelphia Eagles tonight at Heinz Field in their first pre-season game.Troy Polamalu and Casey Hampton, both of who are on the physically unable to perform list, are the only two that will not play in the game, head coach Mike Tomlin said.Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is expected to play at least one series. First round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall and second round pick Limas Sweed could see quite a bit of action in Friday's game.Expect to see numerous players fielding punts and kickoffs, including Jeremy Bloom, Eddie Drummond, Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore. Although Drummond has been seen at camp fielding most kicks, the starter has yet to be determined.
Day 11The Steelers' practices today are closed to the public as the team gears up for its first pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday at Heinz Field.
Day 10The Steelers completed their last tune up before their pre-season matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles Friday night at Heinz Field.There were no Steelers who missed practice outside of Troy Polamalu and Casey Hampton, who both remain on the physically unable to perform list. All players who have missed time with one injury or another over the course of training camp are expected to see action on Friday.Things got a little chippy during 7-on-7 drills when safety Anthony Smith took a high and hard shot at wide receiver Hines Ward. Smith has been known to stir things up during practices as he has had skirmishes with wide receiver Willie Reid both this year and last.A big question this training camp has been about who will start on the offensive line by week one. Two key battles are at center and right tackle. Sean Mahan will start against Philadelphia on Friday over Justin Hartwig, but coach Tomlin has said that is one of the better battles in camp and is in no way resolved. Willie Colon looks to be the front runner for the starting right tackle spot ahead of Max Starks who will make about $7 million this season as the teams transition player.One other noteable development during the afternoon practice was that Casey Hampton was seen working out with a helmet on while working out on the lower field. Teammates on the defensive line were jokingly giving him a hard time when they saw Hampton toting around his helmet before the practice began.The Steelers will not practice tomorrow in preparation for their match-up against the Eagles in two nights. Coach Tomlin said the first teams will see limited action but the starting group at offensive line could log a full quarters worth of action.Following the team's morning practice in Latrobe, head coach Mike Tomlin held his weekly pre-game news conference.Video: Watch The Entire News ConferenceTomlin said he's excited to get back on Heinz Field in front of the awesome Pittsburgh crowd. He said the city can expect to see some big name players on the field, too.Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has been taking it easy during training camp after injuring his groin last week, will play, Tomlin said.
Video Blog: Joking Around With Big BenThe coaches, according to Tomlin, will be looking at players who have progressed throughout camp, and they will be paying close attention to those who can tackle, make big plays, finish their runs and finish their hits.Tomlin said the crowd can expect to see Pittsburgh native Eddie Drummond, along with Mewelde Moore and Jeremy Bloom taking kicks. No. draft pick Rashard Mendenhall and Willie Reed could also field some kicks, too, Tomlin said.Out for the game are: Strong safety Troy Polamalu, nose tackle Casey Hampton, free safety Anthoney Smith and tight end Cody Boyd.Probable, according to Tomlin, are cornerback William Gay and cornerback Deshea Townsend.The team held a closed morning practice at St. Vincent followed by a public afternoon practice at 2:55 p.m. Stay with Channel 11 News for updates throughout the day.
Day 9WPXI.com intern Josh Gialloreto was in Latrobe again on Tuesday to cover Day 9 of head coach Mike Tomlin's training camp.The team practiced from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday evening and worked mainly on positioning drills for the majority of practice. The team did practice its 11-on-11 schemes as well. Again, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger did not participate with the first team offense on 11-on-11 drills.During 11-on-11, the defense continued to out-play the offense on Tuesday, forcing four interceptions throughout the evening (two by Charlie Batch and two by Dennis Dixon). Several players shined on defense as they helped lead their unit to victory over the offense. Linebacker James Harrison was very impressive on Tuesday -- as he has been for all of camp -- after missing practice on Monday. Linebacker LaMarr Woodley and safety Ryan Clark also stood out in the 11-on-11 drills.The biggest story out of camp on Tuesday was the status of guard Chris Kemoeatu, who was taken off the physically unable to perform list on Monday. Kemoeatu practiced with the first team offense for the entire day and wore a large brace around his left elbow that protected nearly his entire arm. The 6-3, 344-pounder did not seem as though he had lost a step as he was able to keep up with his fellow linemen throughout practice.Towards the end of practice, the special teams unit practiced punt returns and kicking field goals. Newcomer and Pittsburgh native Eddie Drummond could be seen returning punts along with Willie Reid and Jeremy Bloom. Punter Paul Ernster was off to a rocky start, punting several balls out-of-bounds and under 40-yards before he got into his rhythm and began to consistently bang out 50+ yard punts.For the second time in as many days, several Steelers did not practice on Tuesday due to various injuries. PUP-listers Troy Polamalu and Casey Hampton have yet to participate in training camp and defensive backs Deshea Townsend, William Gay and Anthony Smith, and tight end Cody Boyd missed Tuesday's practice.Gialloreto said that there were a couple of surprise visitors who appeared at the evening practice. Steelers' owner Dan Rooney joined the team on the practice field and watched his franchise prepare for the upcoming season. Also, Bill Hillgrove, the voice of the Steelers, was in attendance. He did play-by-play from Chuck Noll Field's press box.During goal line drills at the end of practice, the offense scored only twice. The two touchdowns were by running backs Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall.“Thirty-nine is a guy that could potentially be a guy in that area. We'll see. What's his name? “Willie Parker. Yeah, he had a nice run,” Tomlin joked after practice."It was nice for me to get in,” said Parker. “I'm in the locker room with a whole lot of defensive guys and I told them, ‘I'm going to get two cracks at it.’ I thought I would get two. I only got one. But I told them I would go undefeated, and I did what I had to do.”The Steelers held a closed morning practice on Tuesday while the team prepares for its first pre-season game on Friday against the Philadelphia Eagles at Heinz Field.
Day 8The team's afternoon practice could have ended sooner at St. Vincent College this afternoon but Coach Mike Tomlin deemed an attempted field goal by Jeff Reed, that if good would have ended practice, sailed just wide from 50 yards. Reed would later make another field goal to send the Steelers to the locker room.After practice coach Tomlin suggested that maybe both field goals were in fact true.Wide receiver Hines Ward, who sat out of the morning practice, suited up for the afternoon session and was seen warming up with the team.Right guard Kendall Simmons sat out the afternoon practice, but left guard Chris Kemoeatu made his much anticipated training camp debut.Linebacker James Harrison, cornerback Deshea Townsend and defensive end Brett Keisel were notable members of the defense who did not participate during afternoon practice.Wide receiver Nate Washington looked good in the afternoon practice, catching one deep bomb down the sideline for a touchdown. Tight end Heath Miller also stood out during the afternoon practice, along with LaMar Woodley. Max Starks was the most consistent performer on the offensive line and played left tackle for starter Marvel Smith, who was absent from afternoon practice.Pittsburgh native Eddie Drummond, who the team signed last week, looked most comfortable fielding kicks and punts during special teams practice.Ben Roethlisberger did not participate in the team portion of afternoon practice, but he said he will play in Friday's pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles."Getting ready to play Philly, and I know it's going to be a short week and short time on the field, but it's going to feel good just to get out there and get hit for the first time,” Roethlisberger said. “You know, I don't want to get hit, but it's always a good thing to get that first one out of the way. Hopefully it's just a little love tap on the sideline or something."Rookie quarterbacks Dennis Dixon and the recently signed Mike Potts led the offense in one 2-minute-drill each. Dixon led the team quickly to the 5-yard-line but made a costly mistake by not getting out of bounds during a scramble and a precious timeout was wasted. Potts led his unit to a touchdown sticking a nice ball into the hands of wideout Willie Reid who held onto the ball in tight traffic while taking a pretty good hit.Second round draft pick Limas Sweed hasn't practiced much since being carted off the field last week. Sweed said it was mainly a dehydration issue, but the wide receiver has yet to see significant action since.Nose tackle Casey Hampton can still be seen at practices running and using the stationary bike.Brett Kiesel sat out of the afternoon practice.The Steelers began their second full week of practice with a morning workout on Monday.Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t go into the 11-on-11 drills, rather stays in on the 7-on-7 drills and individual workouts.According to him, everything is OK.“It’s good to get mental reps and be able to help the young guys and receivers and see things from behind every once in a while,” Roethlisberger said. “It’s important right now to be able to get a feel of what receivers are going to do on certain things. I m not taking any steps back, so that s good.”
Video: Big Ben Talks About Week 2 Of CampIt seems like coaches playing it smart in camp, too, giving some of the veterans days off.“Got to,” said Roethlisberger. “We’re a week in now, and it’s time to give us some bones. It’s well deserved. Guys like Hines (Ward), and other guys deserve it.“Ward was given the morning off on Monday.This weekend, the Steelers brought in rookie center Doug Legursky, while rookie kicker Julian Rauch was released.The 6 foot 1 inch, 323-pound Legursky signed in April as an undrafted rookie free agent but was released June 29. He was a three-time all-Conference USA choice who started the final 32 games of his college career at Marshall.With Rauch's departure, the Steelers have one kicker, incumbent Jeff Reed, and one healthy punter, Paul Ernster, in camp.
Day 7The Steelers returned to the practice field on Sunday for one practice at 2:55, which was open to the public.The practice featured one of the annual highlights of training camp, the goal line drill, which coach Mike Tomlin said he was pleased with the defense.The defense stopped the offense on five out of seven tries.Forllowing the drill, Tomlin noted that he was unhappy with No. draft pick Rashard Mendehall's performance.
Day 6Saturday marked the first weekend practice for the team. They held an open practice to the public at St. Vincent College at 2:55 p.m.Ben Roethlisberger sat out most of practice with an injured groin. He only participated in the seven on seven drills, and is listed as day to day.“We knew he was going to be a little sore coming out,” said Tomlin. “He wanted to give it a go, see if he could get it warm. He did as much as he could do. We are exercising a little caution. It’s always a quality opportunity to give reps to young guys like Dennis Dixon and Mike Potts. That’s the way we approach it.”Lamarr Woodley was also out with a groin injury.
Day 5Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was injured at Friday night's practice at Latrobe High School.The Steelers said Big Ben suffered a minor groin injury.Head coach Mike Tomlin indicated that the injury was not that big of a deal.Before the start of the night practice, the team was excited to give the crowd a show, Tomlin said.“We will go out and be physical,” Tomlin said of Friday night’s practice. “Hopefully, we will give fans something to look at. We will compete a bit. We draw energy from the great crowds at training camp. We have backs online backers and blitz. That will be the highlight. We will focus on red zone, make people stand up and defend the precious grass.”The team wrapped up their morning practice at St, Vincent College shortly before noon on Friday.
Day 4One day after second-round draft pick Limas Sweed was carted off the practice field, the Pittsburgh Steelers found out their newest wide receiver does have a physical defect -- but not an injury. An eye test resulted in Sweed returning to camp Thursday with contact lenses. As for being carted off the field a day earlier, Sweed had cramps. "I just went in and had them checked out, and they told me, 'You know, you have a little astigmatism,"' said Sweed, who said he has always been prone to cramps and dehydration and neglected to take his salt tablet Wednesday. "I'm happy because I never knew. Now I can be 20/20 and be back in action."WPXI.com intern Josh Gialloreto said that early into practice on Thursday, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger rolled an ankle and fell to the turf. Luckily for Ben, (and the rest of Steelers Nation,) the injury was not serious. He was back on his feet about 30 seconds later and did not miss a snap.PUP list nose tackle Casey Hampton continued to get into playing shape. He spent a good amount of time running 50-yard sprints on Thursday. Hampton finished the day riding the stationary bike.Gialloreto reported that kicker Jeff Reed was seen testing out holders after punter/holder Daniel Sepulveda tore his ACL on Monday, requiring surgery.Although Sepulveda has a torn ACL, he has not been place on the IR and he was present at practice with only a bandage to protect his injured knee. He did not appear to be in significant pain as he participated in light drills throughout the afternoon.Sepulveda's replacement, Paul Ernster looked to be a bit restricted during warmups with punts under 40 yards. But that changed during special teams drills. Ernster was averaging 50-plus yards a punt, hitting 60 yards on a couple.Pittsburgh native and former Penn State University all-pro return specialist Eddie Drummond was signed by the Steelers on Thursday. Drummond spent Thursday working out and practicing with the team. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2002.
Video: Drummond Happy To Be SignedSafety Troy Polamalu, who was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of camp, was seen practicing more on Thursday without equipment. Polamalu was more involved Thursday than he was earlier in the week, working with the defensive backs in position drills.Head coach Mike Tomlin brought in referees to officiate the entire practice. The officials seemed to keep most players on their toes. The officials made penalty calls during all drills, including position drills and formation drills.The offensive line appears to improve on a daily basis, according to Gialloreto. During formation drills on Thursday, the quarterbacks had much more time to read the defense and react. The extra time in the pocket allowed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to hook-up with receiver Hines Ward for a couple of long-yardage catches that excited the crowd.Head coach Mike Tomlin gave the team a break Thursday morning and canceled the practice.
Day 3Head coach Mike Tomlin announced at the end of Day 2 that punter Daniel Sepulveda is the latest to join the list of Steelers with injuries. On Monday, Sepulveda tore the ACL in his right knee and will be sidelined for the rest of the season.Paul Ernster was brought in to replace Sepulveda and began practicing with the team on Wednesday.“I am excited to be here,” said Ernster. “Steelers are a great organization and team. I was excited to get the call. A little jet lagged, but I’m ready to go. “
Video: New Punter Happy To Be At CampDuring the team’s afternoon practice, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger started warming up with some light throwing, while both offense and defense did some walkthroughs.Notable Steelers that did not suit up for day three's afternoon practice were safety Troy Polamalu, linebacker James Farrior and cornerback Bryant McFadden. Meanwhile, after running laps and riding the stationary bike on day two, nose tackle Casey Hampton was nowhere to be found on the practice field in the afternoon of day three.WPXI.com intern Brett Jula said wide receiver Santonio Holmes had a couple of nice catches during practice, including a 50-yard diving catch that pleased the large crowd.No. 2 draft pick Limas Sweed had a nice catch downfield on a throw from back-up quarterback Charlie Batch, which he followed with a tough stiff arm to a defensive player trying to tackle him.On another pass to Sweed, safety Ryan Clark had a leaping interception, almost pulling the pass in off Sweed’s head.A small on-field scuffle broke out toward mid-practice between right tackle Willie Colon and linebacker Keyaron Fox. Players and coaches quickly seperated the two players before it escalated any further.In the team's 10-minute no-huddle scrimmage, Ben Roethlisberger played four downs and was efficient moving the ball, going 3-for-3. Roethlisberger connected with top draft pick Rashard Mendenhall for a moderate gain and hit on big plays to wide receiver Hines Ward and tight end Heath Miller.
Day 2The sideline scoop from WPXI.com intern Josh Gialloreto is that Casey Hampton has been working hard on the stationary bike and treadmill during the team’s second practice of the day.Slideshow: Steelers Training Camp Behind The Scenes Day 2Hampton was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after failing to complete the team’s conditioning test on Sunday.The team warmed up for about 30 minutes Tuesday afternoon before getting into the meat of their practice.Gialloreto said veterans, including Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison and Hines Ward, warmed up without pads while the rest of the team was in full gear. All players were in full equipment when drills started.As the team began practice in the afternoon, left guard Chris Kemoeatu, who was also placed on the PUP list due to a triceps injury, was seen jogging and sprinting lightly.Throughout the afternoon, second-year receiver Jeremy Bloom looked very impressive. Though a long shot to make the team's starting roster, Bloom received several accolades from coaches during return drills and receiving exercises. Don't be surprised if the 5 foot 9 inch, 180-pounder hangs around longer than expected.The team participated in a controlled scrimage towards the end of the day in which the first-team defense appeared to get the better of its offensive counterpart. However, although quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was under constant pressure, he and wideout Hines Ward were able to connect on several nice plays.Unsurprisingly, linebacker James Harrison stood out amongst his defensive peers in the scrimage. Limas Sweed had a couple of diving catches in the afternoon practice that got the crowd cheering. Aside from Sweed, wide receiver Santonio Holmes was seen practicing his one-handed catches. During one-on-one drills, it appeared as if head coach Mike Tomlin was matching up linebacker James Harrison against tight end Matt Spaeth quite a bit.During the morning on Tuesday, practice began with a team walk-through for players in the St. Vincent College gymnasium. The team then moved to the practice field at about 10 a.m. and worked out for about an hour.Video Blog: Bill Phillips Live From St. Vincent CollegeCasey Hampton, who is still on the team’s physically unable to perform list, could be seen working out individually in order to shed the necessary pounds to join his teammates on the field. Training camp sideline reporterA player of particular interest and who will no doubt be under the spotlight is the team’s second round pick, wide-out Limas Sweed. The big target receiver that Big Ben coveted is trying to find his place during his first professional camp.
Video: Limas Sweed Making An Impression“Right now, this is why they have training camp, to figure out what the spots are,” said Sweed. “Where ever they put me at I go there and do the best I can do.”Notes: DB Troy Polamalu (hamstring) didn't wear a protective wrap but was again held out of practice. ... WR Limas Sweed stood out in coverage drills during a morning special teams practice. ... With Sepulveda out, backup QB Charlie Batch filled in as K Jeff Reed's holder. ... Tomlin on dealing with injuries: "The teams that rise in the end are the teams that are capable of dealing with distractions and things like this."
Day 1Coming into the start of training camp on Monday, three players have been placed on the physically unable to perform list: Nose tackle Casey Hampton: Hampton did not finish the team's annual run test on Sunday. He told Channel 11 News that he was told not to finish the run after reporting to camp at weight above the limit set by Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.“Whatever he wants done, I will do it,” Hampton said. “Come game time, I will be ready to play.” Safety Troy Polamalu: Polamalu injured his hamstring while working out on his own during the off-season. Left guard Chris Kemoeatu was placed on the list due to a triceps injury.None of the injuries appear to be serious, team officials said. No. 1 draft pick Rashard Mendenhall is going through some rookie hazing, but nothing too serious. Mendenhall, like all rookies, has to carry the helmet and shoulder pads of one of the veterans."My pads are cool," Mendenhall said. "But carrying some of the vets' pads, you know, that starts to wear on you walking up (the) hill."
Video: Mendenhall Talks About Camp“Its good to be working and to be practicing,” Mendenhall said after practice. “Everyday out here is a day toward the season. That's what we're here to do.”Defensive end Brett Keisel appeared to be excited to be back at St. Vincent College as he joked with reporters about Hampton's physical condition and returning to camp. Keisel jokingly attributed Hampton's extra poundage to eating too many marshmallows in the off-season and said his favorite part of training camp was getting back together with old friends, including the media.
Video: Steelers Talk About Casey Hampton's Weight While Hampton Talks MarshmallowsTons of fans showed up for the team's afternoon practice on Monday and many of the players stopped to sign autographs, including safety Ryan Clark and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.Roethlisberger was also seen giving away signed wristbands and shoes.“Offensively, it could've gone better. “Roethlisberger said after practice. “Defensively, it went well today. We have to pick it up on offense, but, you know, it's the first day. We'll be alright.”Coach Mike Tomlin said he was pleased with what he saw the first full day of camp.“Far from perfection, but that's what day one's about,” said Tomlin. “Great enthusiasm, heard some great communication, very well for the first day. Overall, good hustle.”Wide receiver Nate Washington was among the fan favorites on Monday, as he was seen in camp sporting a newly cut mohawk.Former Steelers linebacker Kevin Greene is at camp this year working with the linebackers. Former center Jeff Hartings also attened camp, but not to coach. He was there watching practice with his sons.Notes: CB Bryant McFadden and safety Anthony Smith didn't complete the afternoon practice because of minor groin injuries. ... LB James Harrison ran over rookie OT Tony Hills on three successive plays during a pass protection drill. Tomlin said, "If he doesn't want to be blocked, it's very difficult to block him." ... Just as they did early in camp last season, several wide receivers were upset when Smith gave WR Willie Reid a hard shot during a non-contact drill, resulting in a brief skirmish. Reid, in danger of not making the team, also got into a tussle with LB Andre Frazier. ... Tomlin on the first day of his second Steelers training camp: "I liked the way guys ran on both sides of the ball and liked how they finished. That's always a great start. It was far from perfection, but that's what day one is about."
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