The Steelers will have a change to their routine Friday when instead of the normal mid-afternoon practice they are accustomed to, they will hold an evening practice at St. Vincent College.
Practice begins at 5:25 p.m. at the school, moved from the original location at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. No matter what time it starts players will be ready to roll.
"Either way, practice is practice, no matter where it is," said linebacker LaMarr Woodley. "As long as we are out there getting better, I just go out there and play.
"We have to get better out there on the field as a team, so if we practice here, the gym or at a high school, we just have to work on getting better."
Cornerback Ike Taylor is looking forward to having a large turnout, and said the crowds always get the players hyped no matter where they practice.
"We are trying to show off," said Taylor. "We have pride. You do it for the fans. You do it for yourself, your teammates, but you do a lot of stuff for your fans.
"The venue doesn't matter. Football is football. St. Vincent is a great atmosphere. You have the bleachers, the grass and you can sit on the hills. If you want to have a picnic you can even do that."
Wide receiver Plaxico Burress has been at camp for a week, and said it doesn't seem like a lot has changed since his first training camp with the Steelers in 2000.
"It seems like everything is the same," said Burress. "Some of the same guys are here from when I was here, it's refreshing. It's a special atmosphere here. I always said that. I just enjoy every day."
Burress, in his 12th NFL season, doesn't know what the future will bring for him, but his hope is to finish his NFL career where it started, with the Steelers.
"This is a perfect ending to a story, to go out on top, win a Super Bowl here and retire from the Steelers," said Burress. "Everything in life comes full circle. A lot of players don't get an opportunity and I am one of the fortunate ones with the opportunity to do so."
Rookie running back Le'Veon Bell is happy to get advice from his teammates and coaches, but also from former Steelers running back Willie Parker, who is at camp as a coaching intern.
"He is in the room, helping me out and critiquing my movements," said Bell. "He knows I have the talent, he just wants to make sure technique wise I clean up everything and grow as a player to be the best I can be."
