Steelers rookies reported for duty on Thursday, arriving at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex for the team's rookie minicamp.
Thursday was a day to take care of business before hitting the field on Friday, with players handling duties such as getting fit for their equipment, having their team headshot taken and meeting staff.
"I'm really excited to get started," said quarterback Drew Allar, who was selected in the third round out of Penn State. "Excited to be with a great organization. I think minicamp will give us a good foundation of how to learn the offense together. And honestly, just building relationships with each other. It's almost like we are the freshman class going into college now, but now it's just at the next level.
"So being able build our relationships so then we can hit the ground running when the whole team is here."
Some of the rookies, including Allar and second-round pick Germie Bernard, the receiver from Alabama, spent time at the Steelers practice facility after they were drafted, but being back now and getting down to football business is a whole new ball game.
"I'm really excited to get out here for rookie minicamp and start bonding with my new teammates, start bonding with the guys that are here," said Bernard. "I want to get into the playbook, understand the plays, and know what my role is going to be within the team.
"I'm joyful for the moment, joyful to be here in this organization, for them to take a chance on me and being able to showcase the abilities that I have."
Seventh-round pick Eli Heidenreich, the running back/receiver from the Naval Academy who is from the Pittsburgh region, said reporting to the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex today is the sign that it's all about football now.
"It's very exciting," said Heidenreich. "Feels like the first day of school almost. You're coming in, meeting some new people and just getting ready to roll. It was a brief 15-minute drive down from my home.
"Now it's seeing what it's like in an NFL offense and getting all those things in your head and understanding this is how football is going to be now. I am ready to get out there for a few days and get better before the OTAs start."
Rookie minicamp gives the players an early look at what to expect before OTAs, hitting the field without the veterans to allow an opportunity to get their feet wet first.
"It's important for us to learn the ins and outs of everything, get to know the coaches well, get know the playbook," said Bernard. "To go out there and be able to put on a helmet and pads again is going to be fun. We haven't done that in a couple months, so I'm excited for that.
"But just being able to be here in this organization, get used to everything, and really bond with all the rookies."
