LATROBE, Pa. - It's seems almost an eternity has passed since Kelvin Beachum opened the 2013 season as yes, a blocking tight end. He then slipped into the center position in the same opening day game against the Tennessee Titans when Maurkice Pouncey was injured. The season continued with him playing right tackle, left tackle and stepping in at guard.

It was hectic, but he didn't mind it.

These days, though, Beachum has solidified himself as the team's left tackle, one of the most important jobs on the offense as he is protecting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's blind side, despite many saying at 6-3, 303 he is undersized for it.

"I love it. I thrive on it," said Beachum. "I love adversity and challenges and proving myself. I love dismantling stereotypes that are put upon me.

"I love it. This is football. It's challenging. It's adversity. That's how you have to play it."

Beachum had another challenge he loved tackling, and that was getting himself into optimal shape and condition to play the position. He said he is now doing things in the weight room that he couldn't do when he arrived at the Steelers as a seventh-round draft pick in 2012. And you can see a difference just looking at him.

"I have come a long way," said Beachum. "I do take pride in it, you should take pride in the way you look, carry yourself and the things you do on the field. The Steelers way is a prideful mantra and I want to be able to live that."

And while Beachum seems like one of the nicest guys in the world, don't mess with him one the field.

"It's like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," laughed Beachum. "You know when to flip the switch. My college coaches explained that to me. You have to be a certain way in the classroom and on the football field. I understood that.

"Just because you play football you don't have to be all mean, crusty and nasty."