The Official Steelers Training Camp Thread 2026 the new era begins

The reality of the NFL today is that players are getting more fragile with every passing decade — and injuries are being diagnosed more frequently than ever.Walter Payton and Jim Brown combined for 22 seasons and missed a total of one game.

Emmitt Smith was legendary for his durability. I barely remember him ever missing time.

Now it feels like today’s defensive backs are made of glass. Porter and Ramsey are both starting camp on the PUP list. McCarty even said there’s no live tackling in camp… including goal-line drills?!

 

I went down deep into the archives and dusted off some old gray cells and I came up with nothing other than a really good schnitzel I had in New Prague MN last millennium

I will concede to the wisdom of the guy who pees outdoors

 

This happened during the 2024 camp after Fields got hit late

 

In keeping with your thought

Players are bigger and stronger now

Their tendons heart liver ligaments etc are not

 

The Steelers sideline store near me has a Steeler trivia question every day posted. One question was " True or false Woodson led the Steelers in interceptions in 1967". Almost everyone answered false because they knew Rod Woodson played 2 decades later. The clerk looked shocked when I went up to the counter and said the answer is true because it was Marv Woodson. He just handed me my free Steeler decal without saying anything.

 

I want half of that decal. I triggered your recall this morning, even though you probably knew it anyway.

 

I wouldn't get my hopes up for Samuel filling the Ramsey role, he's smaller and not a physical player like Ramsey.

 

Watt should be the last player to comment since he admitted he was the reason he didn't move around more in the previous defense .

 

Perhaps he can't play it exactly the same. But worth experimenting on. Doesn't mean it'll pan out beyond a few practices. Samuel could also play himself into a tradable asset by the deadline if he's regained his top level form.

 

CB room suddenly looks like;

 

still have dean, everette, echols, samuel, elliott, brisker, jamison, porter, savage, spears-jennings, castro, harvey, slaughter, lynum, henderson, boykin.

though young, everette, jamison, porter, spears-jennings, castro could all make some noise. i really like porter and jamison. they do have some experience. at least it gives us some extra time to look at these young guys.

 

Sounds great but a few missed plays with Rodgers will knock that smile off real quick. He's gotta be mentally prepared and unfortunately won't get that in the preseason.

 

Counterpoint.

If you think about it, the defensive backs are roughly the same size they were in the 1970's.

Yet the position along with many others are injured more often in modern times.

Ligaments these days tear more frequently. Though the medical abitity to heal them has significantly improved, the fragility of them has not.

I would like to read a well researched article on the topic of modern football players vs. the players of decades ago on durability. You could say they don't make them like they used to.

Players not long play on artificial turf! They say it tore men up. Advantage to modern players on the injury front.

The players' will to play through injuries seems to have declined as well.

 

Interesting the attention to detail is off the charts but struggles with clock management historically.

 

He's not the only one... Andy Reid is an all-time great coach, but his biggest weakness in his career was clock management.

 

I think they are referring to practice and game planning. In game decisions are a whole other thing.

I hope this attention to detail will at least result in a few more TDs in the first quarter rather than 3 and outs.

 

70’s and prior they played for the love of the game

With FA they play for the next contract

 

Erring on the side of caution

 

Ok boomer.

 

Hopefully Graham's new 'system' doesn't include plays like this....

 

Kent=Trice=Golson