The past few months were action packed for the Steelers rookie class, learning the X's and O's of the NFL game fast and furious.
But it wasn't just about football.
Yes, that was the first priority, but life lessons were also on the agenda for the group as they made the initial transition from college to the NFL.
And that is exactly where the Steelers Rookie Development program comes into play. The program is geared at helping the young players adapt to all things off the field and learn how to handle the responsibilities that come with being a professional athlete.
"The first thing that I realized when I got done playing was for the first time, I loved something that didn't love me back, and there's nothing I can do about it," said Darrel Young, the Steelers Director of Player Development. "But the other part of was I had no hobbies and skills since I was focused on football. I wanted to expose them to some different things outside of simply being lectured to."
Among the activities have been FBI crime solving, an acting class at Point Park University, learning American Sign Language, and even a three-point shootout, where basketball wasn't the focus.
"We didn't want to play basketball," said Young. "They shot six balls, and once they stopped, you walked to the next station and said why you were thankful and then you shot the ball again. There were lessons there.
"Through all of it, you get to see personalities and do different things with guys to let them know that it is a business, and we understand that. But there's so many nuances in here that you can take to apply to life, to really set yourself up for something."
The program also included the rookie's parents taking part in the Steelers Family Education seminar at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, which included guest speakers such as President Art Rooney II and Coach Mike Tomlin, and provided them an overview to help adapt to what their sons are going through.
It concluded with a week of giving back to the community, something the organization instills in all players.
"The guys have been really receptive because they're not sitting in the classroom only," said Young. "And when we are being lectured, it's fun, interactive activities. We're doing stuff around mental health, but we're encouraging them to talk about what headspace is, and let's actually go through what headspace is like. We're going through those exercises, as opposed to someone telling us this is what mental health is. We want to hear from them and actually create a plan."
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While all of the activities the players took part in provided value to them, some did stand out.
Including when the rookies took to the stage.
Well, kind of.
The rookie class took part in an acting course at Point Park University, led by the school's theater arts program, one that has an excellent national reputation and has placed performers in a variety of roles, including starring on Broadway.
"This class is one, being in an environment that's uncomfortable," said Young. "And we're doing exercises and games that can transfer to the football field.
"And two, while most guys don't want to go into acting, there's little things can take from it. It can help with being in front of the camera, engaging with the media. It's putting guys in situations and making them uncomfortable and seeing how they react because that can prepare you for what happens in the fourth quarter or overtime.
"My rule is figure out what you don't like while we are playing and then we can go from there when you're done, and it helps the transition."
Whether that transition for any players one day leads to acting is yet to be seen, but they all got a great start, with drills and games that are used to help with reactions, remembering lines, improv and more.
"It was good to get out of my comfort zone and be with the guys, bonding over something different," said first round pick Troy Fautanu. "It was fun. It's about not worrying about what is going on around you, but being submersed in whatever game, scene was going on.
"The character everyone was playing, people's personality came out doing this stuff. The ones that were into everything, which I think everyone was, it was a fun experience that I never have done before. Hopefully I can come back and do it again sometime.
"It's important to get out of that comfort zone. You need it, especially when you are here with the guys, with your teammates, doing it. The closer you get off the field, the better things are on the field. Doing things like this only make you closer off the field and it helps when you get on the field."
Three Point Park professors, Aaron Crutchfield, Cindy Dallas and Rich Keitel, who all have done their share of theater and more, led the energy-filled exercises, ones that had players laughing, smiling and learning about themselves.
"It was fun to do this with the guys," said quarterback John Rhys Plumlee. "This is something a lot of us haven't done. Doing something new like that is a cool, fun experience.
"A lot of this is about team bonding. People know how much that means on the field. The closer you are to your teammates, the better you do perform. Doing stuff like that translates into that.
"And doing the improv stuff, a lot of football is improv. If a play doesn't go like you wanted it to be executed 100 percent, there is a lot of improv that goes on with it. For me, playing quarterback, when you get out of the pocket it's all flying by the seat of your pants and making it happen as you go. I don't know if that directly relates to acting, but there is improv in football."
Plumlee admitted that the exercises weren't exactly what he expected, some of them challenging, but fun at the same time.
"At first when we were told we were doing an acting class, we were asking what are we doing," said Plumlee. "Then you get here and have fun with it. Some guys do stuff and you bust out laughing. Other guys were pretty good with it.
"It was cool. It was fun."
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Another course that piqued the interest of the rookies was one they can carry over to every day life.
Learning American Sign Language.
Instructors and students from the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf took part in a class with the rookies, teaching them the basics to help them communicate with others.
"We talk about transferable skills, and we talk about communicating. Usually when we travel out of the country, the first thing we say is we wish we spoke that language," said Young. "So, you never know when you're in a situation like that. I did a suicide training a few years ago, and it opened my eyes to honing in on skills that we do every day, or people do every day, that we don't even realize that could actually help us. I set this class up before I even knew some of the guys in the rookie class actually understood signing, which was really cool.
"We thought it was a unique opportunity. It's something outside of the realm of sitting in the classroom for a lecture. That was the most interactive rookie session I've ever had. They brought students in, so you actually got to see them doing it, and some of them can hear some, some of them couldn't. But to actually interact and learn their names. And then the school let the kids give the players shirts with their names on the back in sign language.
"But seeing those kids, it was just a constant reminder of how blessed we are, honestly. Just to take advantage of, you know, where you are right now, be present where your feet are and be thankful, but also give back."
For Zach Frazier the class was special as his aunt, uncle and two cousins are deaf, and he has learned some sign language, but is still a work in progress.
"It was pretty special," said Frazier. "I have family who are deaf. It was cool to have the young kids teach us and get to meet them. It meant a lot. They said we can come and volunteer and take some classes. It makes me want to get involved with them."
Frazier was so happy with the class, he reached out to his uncle later that evening.
"I got on FaceTime with my uncle," said Frazier. "I thought it was cool we were doing an ASL class and called and told him. I doubt any other teams do that. It was a cool experience."
Fellow rookie Ryan Watts took an American Sign Language class while at the University of Texas, something he was motivated to do after he wasn't able to communicate with a deaf customer at a job he had early on.
"I took Spanish in high school and I was interested in taking sign language because I had an encounter with a customer when I was working at a snow cone shop," said Watts. "They were signing to me. I had no idea what it was, so I had an interest in learning.
"When I walked into the room and saw what we were doing, I was extremely excited because it's something I did in the past. It brought a lot of joy to my heart. To see everyone else have that fun and be excited to learn it meant a lot to me too, introducing others to sign language. It's a great community.
"It meant a lot to me seeing them there. I was as excited as them. I got to work on what I learned and put it to use."
Beanie Bishop experienced what it's like to have a family member deal with a hearing impairment, as his sister Nia is deaf.
"It was great. It made me want to learn it more," said Bishop. "I want to get into that space and expand my knowledge and ways to be able to communicate with her not through text and being able to communicate with people in other communities."
