Steelers cornerback Joe Haden has three Rolls Royces — but just one Penguins jersey.
He rolled up in style Thursday at Saint Vincent College behind the wheel of his white Rolls Royce coupe, wearing a gold Sidney Crosby sweater. But he said it’s not about the show he or any of his teammates put on when arriving at training camp.
“It’s about playing, it’s about what we do on the field,” Haden told a throng of reporters outside of a residence hall on the Unity college campus.
The team’s arrival at training camp Thursday was much less flashy than in recent years. There were the fancy cars, of course — safety Terrell Edmunds’ Porsche Panamera and Roosevelt Nix’s BMW — along with big pickups, one of which was commandeered by guard Ramon Foster.
There also was designer luggage to shuttle their belongings into their dorm rooms — center Maurkice Pouncey’s Louis Vuitton bag and Haden’s Tumi suitcases.
Wide receiver Eli Rogers was the only player to make a big entrance. He was a passenger in a big rig and wore construction gear while carrying a barbell loaded with weights.
Players were obviously happy to see each other, shaking hands and patting each other on the back. They carried in the comforts of home for their three-week stay, from a fan to memory foam mattress pads. A few carried in Chipotle bags, but one veteran knew he would need some help for early mornings.
Pouncey brought his Keurig and a plan.
“All the guys are going to be in my room now, and I’ll charge them,” he said. “That’s how you get paid.”
As Edmunds unloaded his luggage, defensive end Cam Heyward drove past and yelled “Woo!”
“I’m excited to go back and play the game we’re here to play,” Edmunds told reporters, his necklace and watch sparkling in the afternoon sun.
A few players, including running back James Conner, rode a scooter down a small hill in front of the residence hall, slowing for a speed bump. While Nix unloaded his car, outside linebacker Bud Dupree slowed down on the scooter to shake his hand.
“I need to get rich like you,” Dupree said.
Even with the low-key arrivals, players appeared excited to be back together and hit the field. Wide receiver Ryan Switzer was at his first Steelers training camp, rooming with outside linebacker T.J. Watt.
“It’s a lot bigger than I thought it’d be,” Switzer said.
