The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Chase Claypool in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Claypool entered the NFL after spending his collegiate career playing for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He is an impressive physical specimen at 6 feet 4 inches and 238 pounds. He ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and his rare combination of size and speed was a fantastic find for the Steelers at number 49 overall.
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Claypool had an impressive rookie season with 62 catches for 873 yards but more importantly, he became a favorite target in the red zone for Ben Roethlisberger. With nine receiving touchdowns, Claypool also added two scores on the ground. The sky was the limit for the Steelers' young wide out, and he was expected to make a giant leap in his second season. But the Notre Dame product did not deliver on those expectations last season.
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Claypool’s sophomore campaign in the NFL was marred by mental mistakes, misstatements to the press and stagnation. His receiving numbers did not fall off, but his touchdown production shrank from 11 touchdowns to just two. This could be partially attributed to defenses setting a focus on the Steelers' weapon, and Claypool has immense physical talent, it just was not translating to the field.
Brandon Marshall spent 13 seasons in the NFL. He had six 100 reception seasons for three different NFL teams. He played with Jay Cutler for the Denver Broncos and the Chicago Bears. The pair combined for five of his 100 reception campaigns. He also managed a 100-catch season with the New York Jets and Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2015. He was selected to play in six Pro Bowls during his stellar career, and he has an excellent chance to find his way to Canton someday.
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Marshall, a Pittsburgh native, is also a big receiver at 6 feet 5 inches tall and 232 pounds and has recognized that Claypool has immense physical talent. In the past, he claims that he reached out to Claypool during his school days but other than conversations from a distance the two did not work closely together. After last season Marshall made a point during the Super Bowl week festivities to seek out the former Notre Dame standout to offer some advice. Marshall described his encounter with Claypool:
“We were at the Super Bowl. He had his cast on, just had surgery," Marshall said. "I walked up to him and was brutally honest with him and said you have huge upside and are super talented, but you need to get your mind right. You have to lean into being a pro.”
NFL wide receivers are not always the most stable personalities. Marshall was a legendary player, but Claypool to his credit accepted the criticism and not only took it to heart, he asked the former All-Pro to work with him during the offseason. According to Marshall, the third-year receiver was a sponge and worked hard to develop the mental aspect of his game.
“Some guys in the NFL are happy to be here, then there are a bucket of guys who want to be great,” Marshall said. “If you want to be great, you’ve got to say it. You don’t have to tell everybody your goals, but if you believe it, and I ask the question and he answers it, I have no problem with that. Now go back it up.”
Marshall played the most productive seasons of his career with Cutler in Denver and Chicago. He brought Claypool down to south Florida to work with him during the offseason. The Steelers' new quarterback Mitch Trubisky lives in the area and Marshall made a point to take the pair out to dinner to impress upon them how important it was to build a bond and develop chemistry. The former six-time Pro Bowler understands the importance of the bond between quarterback and receiver and as a new mentor to Claypool it is not inconsequential that he is fostering this relationship.
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Mike Tomlin pointed out during OTA’s that Claypool was demonstrating the characteristics of a leader in the receiver room and has seen a noticeable change. George Pickens and Calvin Austin III also credited Claypool for stressing attention to detail and having a willingness to work after practice on the 'little things.' If Marshall’s mentorship has helped the Steelers' third-year receiver narrow the gap between his concentration and physical gifts, he could indeed begin to back up his boast that he is a top three wide receiver in the NFL.
“You have to be able to look in the mirror and understand who you are and what you want to accomplish and say it every (expletive) day," Marshall said.
Marshall was not surprised when Claypool made the statement about his ability, in fact, he encouraged him to do it. Claypool initially made the boast on the I Am Athlete podcast, hosted by Chad Johnson and Marshall. The two former receivers were no strangers to bold claims off the field, but both backed up their boasts on Sunday. If Claypool follows suit, the Steelers should reap the benefits on the field in 2022.
What do you think Steeler Nation? Are you excited that Chase Claypool is focused on the mental side of his game? Comment below or on my Twitter@thebubbasq.
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