The Pittsburgh Steelers have intense training camp practices, probably even more so than the other 31 teams around the league. Their practices start off with a competition between the offense and the defense, which sets the tone for that day of practice. The two sides of the ball are always at one another's throats, and that was seen during practice on Wednesday. Justin Fields took a late hit from the defense, and members of the offensive line quickly jumped in.
Sebastian Foltz / Post-Gazette
Steelers' Justin Fields throwing the football during OTAs.
Fields tends to use his athleticism, and he has been displaying it on runs during training camp. Although he is running the football, the rule still stands that defenders cannot hit the quarterback. Fields took off during a team period on Wednesday, and he took a late hit which involved both Elandon Roberts and Beanie Bishop Jr. Offensive lineman jumped in to protect their quarterback immediately.
THINGS GETTING HEATED 🍿
— PickensBurgh🫡 (Tino) (@PickensBurgh) July 31, 2024
AFC Northing football isn’t soft pic.twitter.com/5GA264nrnO
It seems like the majority of the offense and defense got involved, which is expected. Tempers flare during training camp, and it is a good thing to see the offensive line going after the defense for hitting the quarterback. Maurkice Pouncey made a name for himself doing that in defense of Ben Roethlisberger.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Troy Fautanu (76) and Mason McCormick (66) work out during Organized Team Activities (OTAs) in 2024.
Steelers Rookies Defend Justin Fields
What was especially impressive to see was the rookie offensive linemen getting involved. Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick were some of the first linemen to retaliate. They are making their presence felt early, which is something Head Coach Mike Tomlin likely loved to see.
Elandon Roberts shoved Justin Fields at the end of a run and the offensive line took exception. A shoving match broke out for the first scrum of camp. Saw Mason McCormick and Troy Fautanu in there, among others
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) July 31, 2024
The two rookies quickly stepping in to protect their quarterback will make the Steelers' defenders think twice before hitting Fields in practice again. This is the first fight that has been seen this training camp, and there will likely be more. All of this is expected, but it's great to see that the two guys who were leading the charge haven't even stepped onto an NFL field yet.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mason McCormick at the first day of 2024 rookie minicamp.
Fields isn't even the Steelers current starting quarterback, yet the offense fired back with intensity when one of their own took a hit. This is the type of physicality that has been missing from Pittsburgh's offense in recent years. This is a sign of a major step forward from the unit, which should have every fan optimistic about the 2024 season.
What do you think about the rookies stepping up for Fields? Let us know in the comments below!
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