Steelers Teamwork, Bell’s Chances, Thomas Hopes

The Pittsburgh Steelers heading back out onto the practice field for the second week of OTAs where the rookie class and returning players will be participating in drills and getting more acquainted. While the new Steelers get acclimated with the Steel City we’ll be busy looking for mentions of your Black & Gold so we’ve got you covered. Here’s your Steelers Morning Huddle for Tuesday, June 2^nd.

Teamwork makes the dream work

It has become a traditional part of OTAs for the rookie class to take a visit to Claysville, PA, home of the Mel Blount Youth Home. There, Teresa Varley tells us, the rookies go from students to teachers where they get the chance to mentor kids from all around the city and community on the importance of teamwork.

This trip to Mel Blount’s Youth Home is the first of many community projects the Steelers 2015 rookie class will work on throughout the year. First-round pick Bud Dupree was excited to get the chance to be a mentor and showing the kids how to apply the fundamentals of teamwork in football to the real life.

"“It was a really great experience getting out there and working with the kids, pushing them through the obstacle course and showing them teamwork. Teamwork will take you a long way in life. Teamwork is not just a big part of football, but in life. You might think you don’t need help from others, but you do. Learning how to work with others is always a plus.” – Bud Dupree"

Bell could win appeal

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler gives us three reasons why he thinks Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell could actually win his appeal and get his 3-game suspension overturned. We don’t know if Bell’s appeal has been heard already or not but since Tom Brady’s appeal is set for later this month, one would think that Bell’s appeal is right around the corner.

The first reason Fowler gives as to why Bell could win his appeal is that he is contrite. He knows this isn’t something to fight against and even though he is appealing the suspension because he wants the league to acknowledge the community service he has done and how he’s worked to have the charges expunged from his record he’s still ready to face his punishment.

He sure as hell didn’t take the Tom Brady route and claim to be a victim of a sting operation or anything like that.

The second reason Fowler gives is that there is precedence for appeals to be overturned if the legal issues that prompted the suspension have been resolved by the time of the appeal. The third reason is the timing of the incident. This arrest happened last August and because the league changed the parameters of the drug policy after that, he could argue that he should fall under the old rules.

You don’t replace a Polamalu

No one knows better than Steelers third-year safety Shamarko Thomas that there is no replacing a player like Troy Polamalu. Conor Orr of Around the NFL explains the Steelers lost a safety that re-defined the position when Troy retired.

Shamarko Thomas isn’t trying to be the next Troy Polamalu but he is trying to implement what he learned from the time he spent with him.

"“I definitely am closer to him than I am to anybody. My second year, I went to him in the offseason and said that I want to be great, and he just told me that being great isn’t just about being a great football player. It’s putting God first and your family, and everything else will fall into place.” – Shamarko Thomas"

If the Steelers hope to improve their pass defense, they’re going to need Thomas to step into a role he hasn’t had yet with the team.

Next: Steelers Offensive Success: Antonio Brown

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