Steelers' Arthur Moats Had A Big Reality Check During His Rookie Training Camp "I Actually Think I'm Trash"

Pittsburgh Steelers fans it is finally that time of the year. It is officially training camp week. Many teams have already begun their camps and the Steelers will soon follow. The first day is on Thursday, July 27, and will run until August 17. Almost every day is free for the fans to come to and support the black and gold.Camp in 2023 should feature some great competition much like years past. One of the positions to look at will be at the tight end. Since the Steelers drafted Darnell Washington in this year's draft, they now have four solid players who can play the position. This could possibly lead to someone like Zach Gentry being cut.

Another position to look at will be on the offensive line, more or less at the tackle spot. As of now, no one knows who the starter for Week 1 will be, either rookie, Broderick Jones or Dan Moore Jr.

Not Ideal For Some Steelers Players

Although training camp is supposed to be a time for unproven players to hone their skills and take a step forward, sometimes that is not the case. Former Steelers linebackers, Terence Garvin and Arthur Moats recently spoke on Moats' podcast about their worst training camp experiences. Garvin was the first one to talk about his. He mentioned that his worst camp was the first one he went through.

"It's got to be the first training camp. My first camp was tough. It was hot out there. I just did the three-day trial through OTAs." Garvin then said, "I was going there overly physical; I'm trying to hit everything... Every day, every play counts."

The temperatures may have been hot and life as a rookie may have been rough, but the living conditions that they were treated to were not ideal for some Steelers players. Living at Saint Vincent College (where they host training camp) is exactly that, a college dorm. Garvin explained how his first time there he didn't bring anything with him to camp and didn't realize that his living situation was going to be like this.

"I didn't come with any pillows; I didn't bring any sheets. I was on a cot and if you don't buy your stuff... I had to buy a refrigerator, a bigger bed. I remember going to Walmart to get a sheet and a couple of pillows."

For Moats, his training camp experience was a little different than that of Garvin's. Moats was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2010, whereas Garvin was picked up as an undrafted free agent in 2013. It seemed like he had a sense of security for his job because of the fact that he was drafted and not an undrafted free agent. Like Garvin though, Moats said that his rookie camp was his worst, even if it was in Buffalo.

"For me, definitely rookie year. The thing that set me up was my expectations. I didn't know what to expect, but because I was fortunate enough to get drafted, I actually believed what they said. I'm on [the roster]."

Moats also had a different pay than what Garvin had. Since he was drafted, he had more money to spend and was treated a little differently. Moats said that for his first camp, he showed up in his brand new car and went to his room that had a giant TV.

"I had the bed, I had the big TV. I have a picture of me pulling up in my brand new SRT8 Charger," Moats said. "I'm feeling like I'm him."

Although Moats had a better lifestyle during his first year, that did not help his camp. He mentioned how he had to go as far as calling his father thinking that it would not work out in the NFL.

"I probably had every play be a mental error. It got to a point where I called my father and said I don't think this is going to work, I actually think I'm trash."

So, what do you think Steeler Nation? How will training camp go this year? Let me know in the comments below! 

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