PITTSBURGH — The differences that I saw at the UMPC Rooney Sports Complex over the weekend, training camp in 2020 vs. training camp in 2021, were obvious. The coaches weren’t in masks. Both observation decks were filled with media. Players moved freely from drill to drill, scouts were dotting the sidelines, and the end of practice wasn’t a quiet march to get re-masked and back in the office.
Things aren’t completely normal, of course, otherwise I’d be in Latrobe rather than on Pittsburgh’s South Side and wouldn’t have a Kinexon tracking device in my pocket. But it is much closer than it was in 2021. And yet, when I asked Mike Tomlin after a long, steamy Saturday practice if he’s more appreciative of the regular grind, he cracked, “I live in a bubble anyway, to be honest with you. I haven’t been to the grocery store in 10 years.” Then, he offered up a message that we probably all should hear as camps open across a healing—though not yet —America.
“Man, really, I just take a big-picture perspective,” Tomlin told me. “I’m appreciative that we were able to work [last year], I’m appreciative that we didn’t suffer financial consequences. We went through some challenges; everybody in our industry went through some challenges. But in the big scheme of things, what are we talking about? There were people in the service industry out of work, the restaurant business. There are a lot of people that hurt through this process a heck of a lot more than we did, so I’m appreciative.
“I approached the challenges that the pandemic presented in that way, because that’s reality. Oftentimes, we live a blessed life—the things we deal with aren’t reality. Seeing the things going on around us, I think was sobering for all of us. Gained some real perspective.”
So, sure, Tomlin is excited at the prospect of going into work without having to pass through a medical tent first, and the promise that having positive COVID-19 test results landing on his desk won’t be an every-day worry. But mostly, as he goes into his 15th season here—his run this year will match Bill Cowher’s in longevity—he looks back at 2020 and appreciates that we’re (hopefully) on the back of the pandemic, and he got to work through it.
Two days from now, the 29 teams that aren’t yet on the field will join the Steelers, Cowboys and Bucs in starting practice. And it’s great that we’ll get to talk about football (and there’s a lot of it to get to before then, in this week’s column) instead of breaking down tracking devices and masks and facilities retrofitted for social distancing, like we did all of last summer.
But Tomlin is right. Just getting to be at a football practice, period, was cool back then, and it’s cool again now, which I can say first-hand after being at two here over the weekend.
Oh, and by the way, this should be a pretty interesting year in Pittsburgh, which we’re going to get to in a little bit.
Camp is underway, and the first week won’t lack for news. To get you ready for that, and more, here’s what’s coming in the final July edition of the MMQB.
• A dive into how the league set up its COVID-19 protocols for 2021.
• A remembrance of the late Greg Knapp, who passed away on Friday.
• Nuggets on Aaron Rodgers, the Bears quarterback situation, and Fred Warner’s contract.
… And a whole lot more. And like I said, we’re going to get to the Steelers, and Ben Roethlisberger’s mindset going into Year 18(!).
But there was a story that broke on Sunday morning to address first.
