Steelers captains reach out to rookies from afar

It can be difficult enough assimilating into an NFL locker room as a rookie. Doing it during a worldwide pandemic that prevents any in-person meeting? Even harder.

The Pittsburgh Steelers rookie class hasn’t even met each other — let alone their veteran teammates. But two draft choices who spoke with media after what was the start of their virtual rookie minicamp said that their unit’s captains have been good about reaching out.

Second-round receiver Chase Claypool said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has a running group chat going with the offense. Seventh-round defensive tackle Carlos Davis said the team’s longest-tenured defensive player, Cameron Heyward, has reached out to him.

“He was just really helpful, and he seems like a really good guy,” Davis said Friday. “I haven’t met him in person or anything, but over text, he seems like a good guy and willing to help. So I am excited about that. As well as the other (veteran defensive linemen). They were pretty open to giving advice.”

Claypool said he has heard from his new position-room mates, too, in receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Ryan Switzer, as well as new Steelers tight end Eric Ebron. But the 38-year-old Roethlisberger, as might be expected, leads the way.

In recent years, Roethlisberger has gathered his skill-position teammates for a weekend of bonding and some informal on-field work. That, of course, has not been possible this spring because of restrictions borne out of coronavirus concerns.

“(Roethlisberger) said as soon as we can get together, we’ll get together and learn the offense,” Claypool said.

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