Thursday was like the first day of school for the Steelers rookie class, arriving at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex to prepare for the three-day minicamp that begins in earnest on Friday.
As players arrived throughout the day, they checked all the boxes, which ranged from meeting with their position coaches, getting fit for equipment, having their team headshots taken and much more.
"I'm very excited," said defensive end Yahya Black, the fifth-round pick out of Iowa. "Anybody that's gone through this process leading up to the draft is just waiting to play football. So, I'm really excited for that part.
"I want to get on the field and show them they didn't mess up. At the end of the day, I just want to do my job and let them know that I'm working my hardest even though it might not look perfect all the time."
Black isn't the only one ready to get down to football. After spending the last few months training, taking part in the NFL Combine and Pro Days, all this new group of rookies want is to pick up a football and be amongst their teammates.
"I've been chomping at the bit for this," said quarterback Will Howard, who was taken in the sixth round out of Ohio State. "I had already been bugging (quarterbacks) Coach (Tom) Arth and some of the guys for the playbook to try and get an early start on it. But I can't wait to get out there and work. It feels like four or five months since we played in the National Championship game.
"I am ready. I'm just so fired up to get to work. I can't wait to learn from them and hopefully have a little fun while we're doing it."
The Steelers 2025 rookies arrived at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
The rookies arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Eddie Faulkner (3) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (99) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Sebastian Castro (29) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Sebastian Castro (29) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson (20) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson (20) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson (20) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Sebastian Castro (29) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson (20) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Carson Bruener (44) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Eddie Faulkner (3) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Sawyer (33) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (99) arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
The rookies arrives at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in preparation for rookie minicamp, Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
After such a long wait from the end of the college season to rookie minicamp, Howard just wants to show the coaches this weekend what he is capable of, from a mental and physical standpoint.
"I want to show my ability to pick up the playbook, my ability to process things," said Howard. "I think that's one of my strengths and always has been. I want to be able to step in during rookie minicamp and already have a good grasp of what's going on and be a leader for our draft class. I want to be that guy that everyone can count on to do his job when they need me.
"I want to start building relationships throughout this whole rookie minicamp. I want to get to know these guys and start building relationships and go from there. I'm excited."
While rookie minicamp truly is just an introduction to the playbook, with it being repeated time and time again over the next few months, to a man the players want to do everything they can to make a good first impression.
"I want to show them that I'm a worker," said linebacker Jack Sawyer, the fourth round selection from Ohio State. "I want the coaches to see that I'm a guy who comes ready to work and I'm going to go as hard as I can and be that guy that gives that maximum effort every play.
"I'm really looking forward to getting on the field and not only showing my skillset, but also show that you're getting a guy that's going to come in here and bust his tail every day.
"All of us rookies don't really know exactly what we're getting into, so I'm excited to learn the playbook and start the development and the process."
