Nearly four hours before the Steelers were to report to Rooney Sports Complex the Monday before the season-opener in Cleveland, J.J. Wilcox sat in a meeting room with Carnell Lake.
The two were going through as much of the playbook as possible, specifically Wilcox's assignments at free safety. Mike Tomlin popped in to say hello and offer advice on how to get caught up as quickly as possible. Keith Butler also sat down to answer any questions Wilcox might have.
Wilcox had been acquired less than 24 hours earlier from Tampa Bay, a late addition that was somewhat surprising considering starter Mike Mitchell hadn't missed a game since the opener in 2013.
Well, a little over one month later, Wilcox was needed to start with Mitchell inactive against the Ravens, and that first day of learning— which lasted nearly 16 hours — was the foundation, allowing the five-year veteran to fill the sizable void as the Steelers' last line of defense in a 26-9 win Sunday.
He's not done yet, though.
"I can't even tell you how much time I've spent here studying," Wilcox told DKPittsburghSports.com Monday, standing at his locker inside Rooney Sports Complex. "It was all Xs and Os. 'Why do I do this? What is my alignment? What is my key? Why am I doing this?' That’s one play, so imagine the whole playbook. They install the whole playbook through OTAs and training camp that I had to catch up on."
It was a rather challenging situation, even for a player as experienced as Wilcox. After 38 starts in four seasons with the Cowboys, Wilcox signed a two-year contract with the Buccaneers in March, joining a scheme that utilized mostly Cover 4 and Cover 6.
In the weeks that followed, he sold his house near Dallas and moved his family to Tampa, preparing for a long stay in the Sunshine State. However, he was reminded last month of how cruel professional sports can be.
Although Wilcox was still competing to start, the Buccaneers signed T.J. Ward, a disruptive safety who helped lead the Broncos to victory in Super Bowl 50. Hours later, Wilcox was told that he was traded to the Steelers in exchange for a 2018 sixth-round pick.
"I can’t explain it, man," Wilcox said. "It’s been worse than a rollercoaster ride. A ride that I can’t explain."
Thus began Wilcox's quest to learn an entirely new scheme in one week. Unlike Tampa Bay's defense, his new job would require him to play in the middle of the field — responsible for both sides of the field and overlooking the entire defense.
Joe Haden faced a similar challenge after being acquired from the Browns on Aug. 30, but he had the advantage of playing under former Steelers secondary coach Ray Horton (twice) during his time in Cleveland, as well as five different head coaches since he was drafted in 2010. That made him more accustomed to change.
On the other hand, Wilcox had to learn two drastically different schemes in less than a year. Haden has been impressed with how the safety has responded:
A safety in almost any scheme is usually required to have comprehensive knowledge of each player's responsibility, but Wilcox couldn't worry about that yet. He still can't, as he learns the nuances of his own job in Butler's scheme.
After those initial meetings with the coaching staff, Wilcox still had questions that needed answered. So, who better to ask than Mitchell?
"Mike is one of the best teammates I’ve been around in terms of understanding the defense, helping me get into positions and see the stuff he sees on the back end," Wilcox said. "He’s been one of the hardest hitters on this defense for a while. Having him in my corner has really helped me out."
Wilcox played 20 snaps against the Browns in the season opener and was inactive the following week because of a concussion. He then played 35 snaps in a loss to the Bears in Chicago, replacing an injured Sean Davis, and recording four tackles and an interception.
Those two games included several mental hiccups, but it was enough for Tomlin to feel confident in turning to Wilcox when the Steelers were in need of an experienced safety last week.
With Mitchell limited and Davis missing practice because of injuries, Wilcox was informed shortly before kickoff Sunday that he'd start in place of Mitchell against the Ravens — only moments after Davis was cleared to play.
The two had barely played with one another and had little time to even discuss any last-minute adjustments. All they could do was promise to communicate as much as possible or "overcommunicate," as Davis put it.
"I don’t want to call him a new guy because he’s a veteran, but it was really our first time playing together," Davis said. "We still have some cobwebs we need to clean up, but for the most part, we were on the same page. ... It’s clear he’s putting the effort in. It shows."
Wilcox played every defensive snap and made three tackles, but it was evident he's still catching up mentally. Although he had three tackles, Wilcox missed tackles on Alex Collins' runs of 23 and 50 yards in the first and third quarters, respectively, but was able to provide energy with his ability to deliver a hard hit, much like Mitchell.
Although Mitchell will likely return for Sunday's game against the Jaguars, Wilcox will surely be needed. He was far from pleased with his performance against the Ravens, but he plans on putting in as many long days as possible at Rooney Sports Complex to ensure progress is made.
"I'll keep drilling it, coming in early, staying late," Wilcox said. "Whatever it takes."