First, how are you managing right now amidst this craziness?
Well, I’m back home in Minnesota right now – the state is still on lockdown and it looks like it won’t open up until maybe around May 15. I’ve been working out – my fiance’ has a horse farm so I’ve been doing stuff on the farm staying in shape – and have some tires and dumbbells here as well. I’m getting some good work in so far.
You have a year in Pittsburgh under your belt – how does that help you going into this season?
Well my third year if you count my rookie year in Atlanta, but yeah, having that second year in Pittsburgh is huge. I know what Latrobe is like – I know the Indy drills, the playbook and calls. It’s a huge difference. I didn’t even know what Pittsburgh was like before – I thought it was a steel town and a big blue collar town.
Now, having all the familiar faces there and knowing everything else is a huge help.
With the difficulty getting to camp now for younger players – does this give you an advantage having that season under your belt?
Every year they bring in new guys – it’s the nature of the business. But having that year helps – I just feel bad for the younger guys not knowing what to expect for them now – I feel for them. But soon it’ll be business as normal once it all settles back in again.
What did you learn most from that last year in camp that has helped you most?
There is so much to learn every day. Working behind an all-decade center like Pouncey is perfect for me. He’s such a great player – I learn something from him every day. There are some things he tries that only work for him, but I try out new things every day like he does – and maybe some of them will help.
Dave and Ramon last year – they were also huge helps for me. I just take what I can from everyone I’m around.
How has Pouncey helped you the most?
He’s definitely the hardest working guy I’ve ever been around. I had the opportunity to play with Mack in Atlanta too and they are both similar in that way. He works hard on every single drill in practice. He’s getting older but he hasn’t lost a step – in fact I think his endurance has gotten better!
From Pouncey I just continue to learn his work ethic and get tips – all I can soak in. He’s a great guy and helps out the younger guys in his own way. He knows how to groom guys that he sees working hard.
What are some of the things you have to improve upon most in your game to make the 53?
I’m a smaller, quicker kind of lineman, so going up against bigger guys like Big Dan – that’s a load to handle. So I’m really focusing on how to better handle the bull rush – that kind of technique. I’m working on that now and hopefully that will give me an advantage going into camp.
You seem to relish the camp competition – you stayed at Alabama as a highly recruited lineman despite not starting – what drives you to take on challenges that way?
I’m a natural competitor. I picked Alabama because it was a great football school that has some of the best lineman every year. Every year they bring in new, highly rated recruits. So what better place could I be? That competition is what makes everyone better – iron sharpens iron – that’s one of my favorite expressions and it holds true in football and in life. I don’t back down from a challenge – I welcome it. The competition makes us all better – physically and mentally.
How surreal was it for you making the 53 for the team’s last game last season? How did you find out?
It was crazy – it was a dream come true. Since I was a little kid I wanted to play in the NFL. I’ve since learned that there’s a difference between being a football player and being active. It’s one of those things I can check off my bucket list now. I also have a good friend who plays for Baltimore -Bradley Boseman – so being able to swap jerseys with my best fiend was another one to check off.
I got to experience a lot just being on the sidelines. I didn’t get the chance to play, but I could see what it was like to be active and I’m better for it.
How did you find out you were active?
Pouncey had a knee injury but I didn’t know the severity of it then. He didn’t practice that Wednesday but he didn’t normally practice on Wednesdays. The scouts came down and talked some about it so I had a bit of a heads up. Tomlin has a thing – he says “Knock knock” to guys to let them know to stay ready – like the door may be opening up for you. Well, he did the knock knock thing to me and on Thursday they brought me up and I signed the papers.
Any other memories stand out to you over your time in Pittsburgh so far?
It was the biggest moment of my career – it’s hard to top that. There’s a lot of fun times – especially in camp. It’s a long camp – especially for the older guys. But most of the jokes are really inside jokes.
How important is versatility for you in making the team – and how versatile are you now?
Well, the more versatile the better. As an offensive lineman we don’t get to use special teams to add to our versatility – the linebackers and skill positions benefit more from that. As an interior offensive lineman you really have to be able to play all three interior line positions – it’s almost mandatory. I’ve been stressing that this offseason – practicing my guard steps and stance. I’m increasing my versatility – I want to prove to the coaches I can play all three positions.
What’s the goal for this season for you?
My goal is for the team to win the Lombardi – that’s the team goal. For me specifically, I want to be a starter. I put that in my notes every day. I want to earn that spot – I don’t care where. I don’t want or expect anything to be given to me – I just want to go for it.
Do you think of yourself as an under-the-radar guy in camp?
I don’t think I’m under-the-radar at all. The coaches and staff are good at giving everyone an opportunity. I’ll get an opportunity – I just have to prove I can be relied on. I’m not much of a media guy so I’m not talking a lot on social media or anything so maybe to others I am. I just keep my head down and do my work and let my actions speak for themselves.
Any other thoughts for fans?
Things are stressful right now – family and relationships can be tougher. We just have to hold on a bit longer and think about the big picture. It’s a bad few months but we have a lifetime to live. Just take advantage of the time you have with hour family and enjoy it while you can.
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