Overcoming adversity is nothing new for Steelers cornerback Cory Trice Jr.

Evidence of that is symbolized by the tattoo emblazoned across his chest.

"Only the strong survive."

It's a sentiment that has been a part of his life, his journey through football and beyond.

"I have seen guys go through adversity and just quit," said Trice last spring. "I have seen guys go through adversity and never come back. I knew with what I went through in football and life, only the strong survive.

"You have to be strong in faith, with your spirit and have a strong support system around you. You are going to go through tough times, and you want to make sure you have the right people in your corner."

Trice didn't know when he uttered those words just how meaningful they would be as the 2023 Steelers season approached.

Trice tore his ACL in practice during training camp at Saint Vincent College last year, just months after he was drafted by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft and just weeks before he was to play in his first preseason game.

It was heartbreaking, but he knew there was only one option.

Survive.

Keep in mind, this is a guy who had to fight back from a torn ACL while in college at Purdue. And it's the same guy who lost his father, Cory Trice, Sr., who was shot and killed when his son was just 10 years old.

If he survived that, he could get through anything.

And he did.

And his teammates noticed. So much so they voted him the Steelers recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, given to a player who has shown courage either coming back from an injury or a life-altering situation.

Trice was honored at the Arthur J. Rooney Courage House Luncheon on Tuesday at Acrisure Stadium, which benefits Holy Family Institute. In addition, Chasiti Strickland, a alumnus of Holy Family, was the recipient of the Arthur J. Rooney Sr. Courage House Award.

Coach Mike Tomlin was on hand to present the award to Trice, as he witnessed first-hand how he battled adversity.

"This guy faced a great deal of adversity in a short period of time in his career," said Tomlin. "I've been on my job a long time, and unfortunately, I've seen a lot of talented young people get hurt in their rookie training camp. And in most cases, that is their story. You fight to come back from injury, but when you have no resumé to come back to, it makes it doubly challenging. From the moment this young man got hurt, I was just really impressed with his mindset, how strong he was in rehabilitation, how he worked to stay connected to his group, the defensive backs and the football team, how staying engaged allowed him to continue to learn.

"As he went into training camp this year, he wasn't functioning like a rookie. He deserves a lot of credit for that. He positioned himself for the bounce back. I don't know that any of us are surprised about the plays that you mentioned (in his video). As a matter of fact, we're excited about the many more that await him, because he's not only talented, but he's proven that he's got the intangible qualities that you need to sustain in this business and be the type of player that he desires to be and we want him to be."

While winning an award for overcoming an injury isn't what players strive for, Trice does appreciate that his teammates saw the work ethic he put forward.

"It's special to win something like this, but going through what I did wasn't as bad as what most people on the outside think and what it looked like to them," said Trice. "It was tough, I am not going to lie. But I was just so focused the whole time on making sure when I came back, I was going to make plays and show them that I belong."

It was the support system around him, including family, teammates, coaches, and in particular Coach Mike Tomlin, that helped him get through the toughest times during his battle with the injury and his fight to come back.

"Being around the guys and having Coach Tomlin dropping nuggets on me every day, telling me to find out more about myself, bringing me along and keeping me up to speed with everything," said Trice. "There was a lot of stuff that Coach T was doing that was so helpful. He always says stuff at the right time. Those little messages he always throws out, you've just got to dissect them and really hear what he's saying. It meant a lot. And all the other coaches and players, having me around and filling that void of being sad."

What Trice found out about himself is while he is strong, he still needed some fine-tuning in different areas to get through the latest challenge.

"I found patience. I found more grit. I had to find myself in a lowkey manner," said Trice. "Whenever I thought I couldn't take any more, I just showed myself that I could keep going no matter what.

"I always knew I was strong. I didn't know how strong I could be. But, as I keep going through this life thing, I definitely continue to find out how strong I am.

"I had to keep my head down and keep working and staying on course. Keep trusting my work, keep trusting in the coaches and just keep putting my best foot forward every day."

And after his injury, he took putting his best foot forward to heart every day. When last season ended, and players headed home for the offseason, Trice kept working. When the offseason program ended late spring, Trice stayed in town and kept working. When there was nobody in the building at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, Trice was there.
"It actually wasn't hard to do that," said Trice. "I'm fresh out of college and I don't want to go back home. I'm in the NFL, and I've got to make sure I'm doing everything I can to put my best foot forward. That was me being here for the whole summer. It was cool because I knew how I was going to be in the season, so that's all I was thinking about, honestly."

The hard work and sacrifice Trice put in all offseason paid off when he was cleared to practice during training camp and was back in full swing, returning to the field to play in the regular season. It was joy for him.

"It was actually wonderful. It was a cool experience," said Trice of returning to the playing field. "I definitely enjoyed it. It's really just a testament to the work that all the guys put in, including me. All the work we put in during camp and stuff. For me to get back on the field with those guys that I grinded with was a blessing. For me to go out there and make plays, just be out there, is a testament to the work we have been putting in all summer."

It appeared that Trice was fully on the road to his return until the Steelers played the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3 of this season. Trice suffered a hamstring injury and landed back on the Reserve/Injured List.

It could have crushed him, but he didn't let it.

"It's just part of the game," said Trice. "You got to take what comes with the game and be able to bounce back. Sometimes you can't control what happens.

"I was ticked for sure. I'm ticked off that I just got back and that happened. But you get to a point where you understand things and you understand life and you realize that you can only do so much in this situation. The only thing you can worry about is getting better, getting back."

And getting back is something that could come sooner rather than later. Trice has returned to practice, opening a window for him to return from the Reserve/Injured List and back on the field.

"I definitely want to get back out there and ball out with the guys," said Trice. "It's time for me to be called up. I just love being out there with those guys."