LATROBE, Pa. — Thanks to a sold-out, max-capacity crowd announced as 8,499 on a beautiful Saturday night at Latrobe Memorial Stadium, Steelers fans showed the same energy they always do.
This time, it was for a new era, with head coach Mike McCarthy getting his team under the lights. For first-time Steelers, the small-town spectacle didn't disappoint.
"I didn't know what to expect. A lot of the vets were talking to me on the bus ride in," said rookie quarterback Drew Allar. "The fans lined up. You can smell everybody having barbecues and cooking out. I didn't realize how big this stadium is."
Indeed, one of the highlights of the annual night practice is the fan engagement for players, which never disappoints. The Steelers walked off their yellow school buses to "Renegade" blaring and spent their first moments at the stadium signing autographs.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was lured back to the sideline fence by an "Aa-ron! Aa-ron!" chant. Rookie offensive lineman Gennings Dunker interacted with a fan who made a "Gennings Dunker 4 President" sign.
But it was also a work trip from Saint Vincent College to downtown Latrobe. And the Steelers brought out one of McCarthy's favorite practice segments early in the evening.
The Steelers broke into a "Franco Moment" — an impromptu competitive period pitting offense versus defense — and in this case it was a 2-minute drill.
But in this case, you could call it more of an immaculate interception, considering cornerback Jamel Dean showed his veteran savvy on the very first play of the drive. Dean jumped a route in front of the intended receiver and ran to the opposite end zone with what would've been a return touchdown.
"It was definitely a pick-six," said rookie safety Robert Spears-Jennings, who was with the first-team defense for the play. "Dean, he's been waiting on those all camp, and he finally got it."
Spears-Jennings added that a big play like that gets everybody going on the defense. It seemed that inside linebacker Payton Wilson was particularly fired up.
Wilson was all over the field and almost always around the ball Saturday. Rather than taking credit himself, he praised Patrick Graham for how much confidence the defensive coordinator has in him, and the way Graham lets him play within the scheme. He tipped his cap to the crowd, as well, for getting the juices flowing.
"It feels like you're at a high school state championship game here," Wilson said. "It's really cool. They're yelling the whole time. We obviously have fans at camp all the time, but not this amount."
But for Wilson it's not just the physical part of his game evolving. Even quarterback Mason Rudolph pointed out that Wilson has been taking on more of a leadership role for the defense and being more vocal.
It's easy to hear pre-snap the way Wilson is communicating with his teammates. And they appreciate it.
"I love playing behind Payton Wilson," said safety Rayshawn Jenkins, who signed with the Steelers just about a week ago. "Having a 'backer that confident and that active in front of you makes my job a whole lot easier."
Observations
• Not to be outdone by Dean's quick thinking in the 2-minute drill, Rodgers turned back the clock a little later in the practice. Off of a play-fake, he rolled right and showed off his signature off-platform release with a flick-of-the-wrist completion to tight end Darnell Washington, who used his massive frame to shield a couple defenders for a gain of about 20 yards.
• Allar also had a fantastic pass off of play-action, hitting receiver Brandon Smith for a 13-yard strike. Smith had a particularly active practice working with all four quarterbacks, as reps were limited for a couple of the first-team wideouts. He made the most of his opportunities on this night.
• Will Howard again looked smooth throwing to the middle of the field and had a good rapport with the backup tight ends. He had one big completion that converted a third-down situation along the right sideline to Robert Tonyan, the most experienced player in the room. On the next play, a fourth-and-8 scenario, he connected with undrafted rookie Lake McRee, the least experienced player in the room, down the left seam.
• As the defensive line depth continues to shine, veteran Dean Lowry had a batted pass against the second-team offense to start that 2-minute drill. Rookie Gabriel Rubio collapsed the line of scrimmage for a stop on a fourth-and-1 play, with safety Sebastian Castro helping in run support.
"It's a blessing that the coaches trust me and the other guys trust me to get the job done," Rubio said.
• The offensive line had its moments, too, opening holes for Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren. Rodgers gave a satisfied fist-pump for how the line blocked up one of Dowdle's runs, while Warren had plenty of space to pick up a first down on a third-and-1 rush.
• The following players did not participate: RB Eli Heidenreich, OL Max Iheanachor, OL Steven Jones, DT Sebastian Joseph-Day, DT Logan Lee, CB Brandin Echols and S Jaquan Brisker.
• Spears-Jennings and cornerback Doneiko Slaughter worked in place of Brisker and Echols, respectively, with the first-team defense.
UP NEXT
Steelers players will have a day off Sunday before returning to Chuck Noll Field for back-to-back 11 a.m. practices Monday and Tuesday at Saint Vincent College.
