A month ago, the Steelers players released a statement saying they wouldn't take part in any OTA sessions this offseason because of concerns regarding the ongoing pandemic.
Tuesday, when the team opened it's Organized Training Activities, the team had more than two-thirds of its players in attendance, including NFLPA rep Cam Heyward and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, two of its most veteran players.
What changed?
"A multitude of things," Heyward said Tuesday after the team held its first practice here at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "When we first came out with that statement, not having the cooperation of the organization and the players, we couldn’t have got it done. A month later, we were able to iron out some things and make player safety a (priority). Players were able to understand that it was not mandatory. It was voluntary. This is an ongoing process. You don’t ever plant your feet down and say ‘We’re not doing this.’ We were able to work through stuff, and I appreciate everybody for working with us."
The team's leadership council, on which Heyward and Roethlisberger are two key members, went to Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert and Art Rooney II with some concerns over how things would be handled with the country now opening back up following the COVID-19 pandemic, the league's increase this year to 17 games and other issues.
And the two sides hashed those issues out.
"We just talked about the safety of having guys, who were flying across the country, get two negative (tests) to even start the process," Heyward said. "That was one thing that was completely abolished, especially when not everybody is vaccinated.
"We understand that things have changed and now we’re playing a 17th game, and our main thing was let’s not beat our bodies up. Let’s approach this the right way, where we have a ramp-up period. Guys are learning and guys are taking advantage of this time. I wanted to make sure we never ostracized the guys that went in. We have a lot of guys that loved being in (the building) and we had to show this front that we didn’t want to jeopardize that. I think we did a great job of being open and honest with everybody and making sure we didn’t have a lot of contact."
Other teams around the league have also either modified what they're doing or how many OTA sessions they're having. The CBA allows for 10 voluntary workouts over a three-week period leading into a mandatory minicamp. Then, players are off until the start of training camp.
One of the big concerns for the NFLPA is that players are now being penalized for not showing up at what are supposed to be voluntary events. Ja'Wuan James, for example, had his contract terminated by the Broncos recently after he tore his Achilles' tendon working out on his own. Had James been at the team facility, Denver would have been forced to honor his contract per the CBA.
Heyward said that wasn't one of the issues he or anyone else brought up with the Steelers.
"It wasn’t really negotiated. I do know if a guy has gotten hurt outside the facility, they’ve tried to honor it for the most part," Heyward said. "It’s beyond me that we’re training outside the facility for our job and can’t get covered for injuries. I think that’s one thing that needs to be addressed soon. We’re all just working for one goal, and you shouldn’t be penalized if you’re out anywhere trying to work on your game."
That has been the NFL's stance since it instituted OTAs in the early part of the century. Previously, players would be away from the team facility from the end of the season until the start of minicamp. But the OTA sessions allowed teams to better keep track of how players were training in the offseason to better themselves.
They've morphed into teaching tools that allow young players a chance to get on-field instruction from the coaching staff. But some players were concerned the OTA sessions were getting too physical, opening players up to additional injuries.
And with the league now going to a 17-game regular season, even with a shortened preseason, teams losing players in the offseason is even more critical.
"The 17th game, it’s funny, they say they shortened our preseason, but then we have the Hall of Fame game. It’s not like we’re shortening anything for us," Heyward joked. "We just want to be smart now. It’s a war of attrition already. I was talking to a coach today. Usually on the first day, there’s already a separated shoulder or a torn hamstring. That’s always been the nature of this game. But that doesn’t prevent you from adapting and making sure everybody stays healthy and is ready for Week 1."
Getting young players acclimated for what's ahead of them and ingrained into the system is what these sessions are all about.
That's why Heyward wasn't upset that a number of veteran players weren't in attendance Tuesday. He knows they're working on their own -- something everyone got accustomed to doing last year when there were no OTA sessions because of the pandemic -- and it allows for more on-field learning for younger players.
"I don’t put a lot of stock into this," Heyward said. "I think we can benefit from it, but if a guy isn’t here and chooses to go elsewhere, that’s not a big deal to me. The guys that aren’t here are usually veterans that have been in the system. For me and Ben, we’re trying to cultivate relationships right now. We’re trying to learn different guys and new positions. That just comes with time."
