Tim Benz: New Steelers embracing the idea of training camp at Saint Vincent College
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Few NFL teams embrace the concept of tradition more than the Pittsburgh Steelers. One example is that the Steelers still load up the team and travel to a destination away from home for training camp.
They spend training camp at Saint Vincent College’s Latrobe-area campus. Only a handful of teams make such trips anymore.
On Thursday, the team announced dates for those practices. The team will report to Unity Township on July 26 and bunk there until Aug. 18. Many of the new Steelers seem to be welcoming the “getaway” experience of dorm life for a few weeks.
“I’ve heard a lot about Latrobe and what goes on over there,” new linebacker Cole Holcomb said Thursday. “I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited to get started on that.”
Fellow free agent signee Elandon Roberts is in his eighth year. He has never been on a team that went away for training camp. The New England Patriots use their facilities at Gillette Stadium. The Miami Dolphins use their Baptist Health Training Complex.
“I’m excited about it,” Roberts said. “At this part of my career, I’m kind of glad that I’m able to experience that — being able to go off to a camp site. When I was younger, a lot of teams were doing it. But then, when I got in the league, that kind of settled out. So being with a team that still does that tradition and get guys away for team camaraderie, it’s gonna be a neat experience.”
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First-year Steelers defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko is looking to take advantage of the atmosphere at Saint Vincent College.
“I know once we get to Latrobe and we get to full contact, and we get to a real football setting where guys can be themselves and be what they’ve trained all year for, I think guys will really appreciate what I bring to the table,” Fehoko said.
Unlike many Steelers newcomers, rookie Joey Porter Jr. is familiar with Saint Vincent. He used to watch his father at practices there as both a Steelers player and an assistant coach.
“It’s great,” Porter Jr., a rookie cornerback, said after an organized team activities practice session Thursday. “I used to do this for a long time. I used to be a ball boy getting the balls and watching them practice, and now I’m going to be the guy out there running around. I’m happy.”
But that doesn’t mean Porter Jr.’s memories of heading out Route 30 are all warm and fuzzy.
“I remember it’s always on my birthday (July 26) or the day before. So I was kind of used to being mad about that. But now I kind of celebrate it a little bit because I’m actually going to be the one in Latrobe, not him.”
So did Porter Jr. mean he was mad because training camp meant that his dad was leaving for a month or that he had to get to work as a ball boy?
“Both,” Porter said with a laugh. “Both.”
The Steelers have posted all of their open training camp practice dates on their website.