Get to know director of performance integration and sports science Grant Thorne, including what he loves about coaching.
What got you interested in strength and conditioning coaching:
"I was one of the first people in my family to play football, my brother (Kyle) and I. My brother played at Hofstra University, and I was in high school at the time, but we would train together and that's how we started getting better. I probably wouldn't have been able play college, or the little bit of pro that I did, without being able to train, so I got my feet wet doing that."
What got you to the NFL level:
"Being able to bounce around. I did internships with the Chargers. I consulted with the Jets. When I first came to Green Bay with Coach (Mark) Lovat and Coach (Mike) McCarthy, it was as a consultant after I was done playing and getting my feet wet there. It was a matter of stay around it and keep showing up."
What do you love about coaching:
"To be honest, the people. I've been fortunate to be around some really good people, and be around them for 12, 14 hours a day, every day. I think that makes a big difference. Being around some awesome organizations and good people, and those players are included in that. When you're around good players, that's when things go well and good things happen. It's been fun."
Best advice you have received in coaching:
"The people that have been around that have been doing this for a long time, or have been in high performance environments, whether it's in military or other sports or even business. They don't let the highs be too high, and the lows be too low. You've got to stay even keeled because things are never as bad as they seem and never as good as they seemed as well."
Best advice you share with players:
"Learn to be a good pro. I want these guys to play as long as they can and be as successful as possible because it makes everybody successful. I would say for them getting into a good routine where you can do this for a long time. A lot of guys come in and they want to win the world, win the season in the first week, or the first month they get here. We want you to be doing this at the end of the season. That's where it matters the most and all throughout the season too."
Describe your coaching style:
"I just try and help, serve the guys, help them be a good pro, be a good person, be a good family member, dad or son. I feel like when you have good success doing that, it helps out in everything."
Favorite coaching moment:
"There's been a lot of good games, a lot of heartbreaking games, lot of memorable games. But it's being around some really good people like Dave Redding, Mark Lovat, Coach McCarthy. It's more about the people. Those memories that you have going out to dinner or spending fun times in the weight room or on the field. Those memories are the ones that that you sometimes take it for granted, but those were the things that get you through the days and stick with you as you go through this."
Offseason relaxation/reset:
"Hanging out with my family. We like the outdoors. My wife (Courtney) is a strength coach too, so we like to work out together and play sports. We like to be near the water. I like a lot of outdoor sports, rock climbing, surfing, hiking. Stuff that I can do with my kids and family."
More about Grant Thorne:
Prior to joining the Steelers, Grant Thorne spent the last two years with the Tennessee Titans, after spending 11 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, where he worked with head coach Mike McCarthy.
Thorne was with the Packers from 2015-2023 as a strength and conditioning assistant. He spent the 2013-14 season as a strength and conditioning consultant for the Packers.
Thorne also spent time at Purdue University as a sports performance coach (2011-14), Stanford University as assistant performance coach (2011) and New York Jets as performance and monitoring assistant (2010).
Thorne played college football at Long Beach City College (2004-05) and Nicholls State (2006-07), and also played in the Arena Football League and for Rugby Union's Sedgley Park Tigers
