Steelers 2019 Training Camp Recap: Rain cuts somber practice short on Tuesday

The Pittsburgh Steelers have just a few training camp practices left, and while there are times it is still considered “football in shorts”, the team has had plenty of news coming from these workouts heading into the preseason.

Of all the workouts to date from Saint Vincent College, Tuesdays practice might have gone down as one of the more somber practices in Latrobe, PA. After finding out about the death of wide receivers coach Darryl Drake early Sunday, it took all the energy and enthusiasm out of camp — as expected.

The Steelers were forced to try and move on, and try to find some sense of normalcy, but there is a new normal the team must try and get accustomed to both at camp and when the team returns back to Pittsburgh in a few days. Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review describes the scene Tuesday before practice.

But when the players took the field, the scene was visibly different, and I’m not referring to the rain clouds forming in the sky above Saint Vincent in the video below by The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly.

If a picture tells a thousand words, this one might just tell a million. It can’t be easy, but a great shot telling a very real story from Matt Sunday of DKPittsburghSports.

The team still practiced, without pads, and there was some minor news which came from it. Time to dig in and see what happened Tuesday.

Ray Sherman, former Offensive Coordinator, helping with WRs

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced they do have a succession plan for Drake’s vacant role as wide receivers coach, but they weren’t going to reveal it at the time. However, at practice Tuesday Ray Sherman, former offensive coordinator, and Blaine Stewart, coaching assistant, were the coaches putting the receivers through their paces.

Some might read this as Sherman is the new receivers coach, but I would hesitate drawing any conclusions at this moment. Nothing is official yet.

Several Players Return

There was some good news Tuesday, and it was the return to the practice field, and hopefully the playing field Saturday, for several players.

It wasn’t long into practice before the sky opened up and the rain started to pour. When lightning was spotted in the area coach Mike Tomlin elected to just cancel practice rather than wait out the storm.

The team will have open practices Wednesday and Thursday before breaking camp and heading back to Pittsburgh prior to the Week 2 preseason game vs. the Chiefs and the remaining two weeks of the preseason.

PODCASTS

VIDEOS

PHOTOS