Dustin Colquitt 'excited' to follow in father's footsteps with Steelers

Dustin Colquitt estimates he has told the story “thousands” of times. The difference when he relayed it once again Wednesday afternoon was the 38-year-old punter did so for the first time while wearing Pittsburgh Steelers colors.

After spending the first 15 seasons of his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs, Colquitt practiced with the Steelers for the first time Wednesday. And he couldn’t wait to spin the tale of how he once urinated on the artificial turf at Three Rivers Stadium when he was a toddler.

His father, Craig Colquitt, was the Steelers punter from 1978-84 and was a member of two Super Bowl winning teams. It was late in his Steelers career — Dustin was born in 1982 — that Craig took his son to a team walk-through prior to a home game.

“I’m not proud of the first part, but I did pee on the Three Rivers field,” Dustin Colquitt said in a video conference call with reporters. “The cool part of the story is after the walk-through, Art Rooney Sr. saw me.”

Craig Colquitt introduced his son to The Chief, who took the boy into his office for some memorabilia. The best he could offer was a Pirates baseball that Dustin Colquitt still prominently displays in his basement.

“He signed it, Dusty, one day you will be a superstar — Art Rooney,” Colquitt recalled.

Dustin didn’t become a superstar, but he and younger brother Britton did follow in their father’s footsteps. While Britton spent his first 10 seasons with three organizations, Dustin was with the Chiefs for his entire career, earning two trips to the Pro Bowl. Then, the Chiefs elected not to re-sign him on the heels of winning the Super Bowl last season.

Colquitt was a free agent until the Steelers brought him in for a tryout over the weekend. He signed his contract Monday, taking over for Jordan Berry, who was released after five seasons with the Steelers.

Colquitt wore No. 2 in Kansas City, but that number belongs to backup quarterback Mason Rudolph. His father wore No. 5 with the Steelers, but that number was reissued to third-string quarterback Josh Dobbs after he returned to the organization over the weekend.

Colquitt will wear No. 4, Berry’s former number.

Colquitt was asked whether father or son is more excited about his chance to be a second generation punter for the Steelers.

“I wouldn’t say he’s more excited, but he would tell you that he is,” said Dustin, who recalls attending preschool in Mt. Lebanon. “I’m pumped because I’ve been here before. I watched games so long ago that I don’t remember. I’ve heard the stories about Franco and Terry Bradshaw. This is coming to life, and I’m really excited about the opportunity.”