The dog days of training camp are finally behind the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After weeks of grinding at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, the team has packed up the dorm rooms and said goodbye to the rolling hills that have been their summer home.
Now, the focus shifts from conditioning and install work to sharpening execution under the lights — and for several young, hungry players, this next stretch could make or break their shot at a roster spot.
Head Coach Mike Tomlin isn’t changing his approach for the second preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
If anything, he’s doubling down on the philosophy that Week 2 is about giving developmental players another shot to prove they belong.
“I’m going to play this preseason game very much like we did the first one in terms of participation,” Tomlin told the media Thursday afternoon.
That means fans shouldn’t expect to see veterans like Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Patrick Queen, T.J. Watt, or Alex Highsmith suiting up at Acrisure Stadium.
Instead, Saturday night will be a showcase for the next wave of Steelers — players still carving out their place in the black and gold.
Mike Tomlin is giving developing Pittsburgh Steelers chances to improve before Week 1
Names like Roman Wilson, Kaleb Johnson, Derrick Harmon, and Jack Sawyer are once again in line for heavy snaps. For them, it’s a golden opportunity.
The live game environment can’t be simulated in practice, and with the stakes this high, the pressure can either forge a player into a contributor or send them back to the drawing board.
Tomlin knows it’s not just about reps — it’s about growth.
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“It’s reasonable to expect those guys to make a dramatic step between the first experience and the second experience,” he said.
That step could be the difference between making the 53-man roster or settling for a practice squad role.
This approach is vintage Tomlin.
He’s always preached “the standard is the standard,” and that doesn’t just apply to All-Pros. Every man on the roster is expected to be ready to deliver when called upon.
Giving the young guys another extended look isn’t charity — it’s an investment in the depth that will inevitably be tested once the season begins.
For fans, it’s a reminder that preseason football isn’t meaningless.
Somewhere between the cheers and the missed assignments, we might be watching the birth of the next Steelers contributor — maybe even a future star.
And on Saturday night, those developmental players will get their shot under the lights at Acrisure.
Because in Pittsburgh, your opportunity might not come twice — but if it does, you’d better make it count.