Steelers News: Steven Nelson is determined to shake the ‘underrated’ tag

It has been a one-of-a-kind offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020. With the start of training camp now behind us, it looks like we’ll have to wait until opening weekend to see the Steelers take the field. Just because the NFL has cancelled the preseason doesn’t mean we stop providing you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over throughout the offseason!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at how Steven Nelson is determined to shake the ‘underrated’ tag from his name in 2020.

Let’s get to the news:

• Steven Nelson doesn’t need any extra motivation, but he finds it in a number of ways.

Camp Blog: Nelson feels ‘underrated’

By: Teresa Varley, Steelers.com

Nelson feels underrated: Steven Nelson played over 1,000 snaps in 2019.

And in those 1,000 plus snaps, he allowed zero touchdowns.

That is correct…zero.

Yet when it came time to hand out accolades at the end of the season, things like Pro Bowl selections and the like, Nelson simply got a pat on the back. That is part of the reason that Steelers shutdown corner has a chip on his shoulder, something Coach Teryl Austin said motivates him.

“I definitely feel like I am underrated,” said Nelson. “One of my goals is to be recognized as one of the better corners in the league. I think in 2018 I had four interceptions, but I gave up a lot. Statistically people will say that is my best season. But last year, I didn’t give up a touchdown. There were a lot of other small details in the stat line that would make a good argument.

“My role in the defense is to be a professional, veteran guy who is going to come to work and do my job so we can all reach that same goal. We all want to be a step better from last year. The great thing we have on our side is most of our guys are back this year. That will give us two years to play with each other. We just want to improve from last year. I think last year we did a great job, but there is always room for improvement, and we are all on the same page with that.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Will 2020 offensive schemes be more bland than in previous years?

Steelers coach indicates dearth of 2020 on-field work could render NFL schemes more vanilla

By: Chris Adamski, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh Steelers training camps of the recent past have been on-field labs for experimenting. Like offseason and preseason practices for all NFL teams, the Steelers have debuted personnel packages, tried players in different positions and even moved some into new hybrid roles.

But in 2020 with no on-field organized team activities, no minicamp, a delayed training camp and no preseason games, this season could be different.

During a video conference call with media Tuesday, Steelers senior defensive assistant/secondary Teryl Austin indicated that the lack of time to try out new things could lead to more vanilla schemes.

“Because of the unusual offseason that we have had, I don’t think we will be ‘double teaching’ (two positions) to a lot of new guys and doing different things,” Austin said, referencing players such as rookie Antoine Brooks. “We will probably just kind of keep our guys strapped into one position and let them learn.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Minkah Fitzpatrick loves football, and it is evident in his work.

Having a ball

By: Mike Prisuta, Steelers.com

The football found free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick with remarkable regularity after he joined the Steelers, until it didn’t.

One of the tasks since last season ended has been to devise ways for Fitzpatrick to find the ball.

“I think he’s a phenomenal football player, checks all the boxes,” senior defensive assistant/secondary coach Teryl Austin observed. “Made a lot of turnovers early and then teams tried to stay away from him. I think that’s just a testament to, when you’re a good player a lot of times you don’t get all that action.”

Fitzpatrick registered an interception and a forced fumble on Sept. 22 at San Francisco, his first game after arriving in a trade with Miami. Over his next nine games he came up with four more interceptions including a 96-yard pick-six on Nov. 3 against Indianapolis two fumble recoveries and eight passes defensed.

But in the final four regular-season games Fitzpatrick’s takeaways went away, zeroes across the board.

The Steelers have been pondering and making progress toward putting Fitzpatrick in roles other than the deep centerfielder position he played last season in an effort to make him more difficult for opponents to work around.

“We’ll maybe be able to move him around a little bit more,” Austin continued. “Getting him Week Three like we did last year, you’re just trying to throw him in and just trying to make sure that we get lined up and all that other stuff.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

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