The Steelers spent the past two months on a team-building exercise in an effort to rid themselves of the stigma placed on them because Antonio Brown's actions.
So far, so good.
The team's offseason program ended Thursday with the completion of a three-day minicamp. Now, the next time the Steelers get together as a team, it will be within the friendly confines of Saint Vincent College.
And that is when the true test of this team's mettle will begin.
"You really can't judge chemistry or culture until you're faced with adversity," Mike Tomlin said Thursday after the Steelers wrapped up minicamp. "This time of year, all 32 teams are undefeated, unscored upon. There's some good teaching and learning. The journey itself is the indicator of that and some of the adversity the journey provides. A training camp setting, that is physically and mentally challenging, that will be the first real adversity this group sees."
It's just around the corner for this group. But to a man, the players have consistently talked about how hard they've worked to come together as a team following a tumultuous start to the offseason.
"Throughout these OTAs and everything, we've been working to build a chemistry, get a feel for each other and become more team oriented," Mike Hilton told me. "I feel like we've made some progress with that these last couple of weeks. We've got a month off to get ready and then the real deal is coming."
Indeed.
And, as Tomlin noted, this is the time of year when everyone is feeling good about themselves. Everyone is unbeaten. Nobody has allowed a touchdown.
But there's a vibe around this team. The players have worked hard to push the drama into their rearview mirror. It's been an offseason all about standing together as one.
If that doesn't turn into wins once the season starts, nobody will care. But chances are, this little push of the organizational reset button will work in that direction.
TIME OFF?
Tomlin said he left his team with one message heading into the next month: Stay or get into shape.
It used to be training camp was held to help players get into game shape. Now, they're expected to arrive ready to go.
"We outlined that specifically for each guy," Tomlin said. "Rest assured, conditioning for each guy has got to be the most significant element of their time in the upcoming weeks."
There's no quicker way to work your way off the roster than some kind of minor, nagging injury. Hamstring or groin injuries will get you a ticket back home.
That said, the Steelers made it through their offseason program without any major injuries, something not lost on Tomlin.
"I'm extremely happy we were able to keep everybody healthy, not that we're worried a lot about it," Tomlin said. "Injury is an element of play. We work our tails off to make sure we create as safe an environment as we can. Then, we don't spend too much time dwelling on it."
They might not dwell on it, but you do have to at least acknowledge injuries at this time of year are never good. They are typically non-contact and wind up being season-ending as they were last year for offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins and tight end Jake McGee.
None of that happened this year. Yes, there will be injuries along the way. But you'd much rather they happen playing football or at least in a live practice to prepare to play football than running around in shorts.
HANG LOOSE
The feeling in the locker room -- we hadn't been able to go in there before minicamp -- was one of a really loose group.
I was talking with Ryan Switzer Wednesday for an upcoming story when Ben Roethlisberger poked his head in and started giving him the business.
Switzer's locker was moved to the opposite side of the room closer to Roethlisberger and some of the other skill position players. Switzer brought in an ice cream truck for his teammates and front office staff to get a treat as they left the facility Wednesday.
Thursday, when I was among a couple of guys talking to Diontae Johnson, some of the players around him were giving him the business.
These guys really like each other. It doesn't seem forced at all. And that matters.
That's not to say Brown wasn't liked in that locker room. He was especially popular among the younger players, who looked at him as a role model for what they wanted. They want to be stars and be recognized as the best by their peers.
But not everyone felt that way. As we've seen and heard, some guys resented the special treatment Brown received, whether he had earned it or not.
That seems to be out the window.
Not surprisingly, first-round pick Devin Bush was put in Brown's old spot in the same corner with Vince Williams and Joe Haden.
CHECK-IN DATE
Tomlin loves Latrobe. He has said before he would sequester the team there throughout the season if he could, to ensure they thought of nothing but football.
Obviously, that can't happen. But I did ask him Thursday if he's ready to head out to Westmoreland County now to check in.
"There's a segment of the coaching staff that I'm sure is checking in as we speak," Tomlin said, likely including himself in that segment. "We love Latrobe. We love our relationship with Saint Vincent. It's just a great atmosphere and great place for that part of the process. The fan support we get up there from day to day is second to none. We love our time up there for sure."
IMPRESSIONS
Bush obviously has made an impression on his teammates as being advanced beyond his years. But a lot of guys are saying the same thing about Johnson.
"Diontae Johnson, the receiver, he looks good," Hilton told me unprompted. "Just like Devin Bush. Seeing those guys come in and embrace their roles, it's really a good sign."
Those two young players will obviously get a chance to help out right away. But several of the team's other draft picks impressed in this setting. Justin Layne's length and ball skills at cornerback have been impressive. Running back Benny Snell catches the ball better than I had imagined, and tight end Zach Gentry is bigger and faster than you'd think.
It looks like a good group. And when you add in some surprising fresh faces, such as defensive back Kameron Kelly, there is a lot of good, young talent here.
"We're going to cut some guys that will wind up playing in the league," special teams coordinator Danny Smith said earlier this week. "I have no doubt about that."
That's not always the case. In fact, when I think back to say, 2013, it was hard to come up with 53 players to make the roster.
This year, there are legitimately 60 to 65 guys who could make it. Now, when it comes right down to it, there will probably be only 55 to 58 who will have a shot when injuries are factored in. But this is a pretty talented roster.
