The theory that no news is good news definitely held true for several Steelers on Saturday, when they learned they made the 53-man roster simply but not being told they didn't make it.
"When that time comes and they haven't told you anything and you start getting congrats from players on the team and coaches, you get a good feeling you are here," said rookie wide receiver Tyler Murphy. "I am blessed to be here and going to take it one day at a time and do it to the best of my ability.
"To find out I was on the 53-man roster was a blessing. I was very excited. It's been a long journey, and to reach this checkpoint means a lot. I can't be complacent or settle for just being on the team. I have to find a way to contribute and help this team move forward and win the Super Bowl."
Murphy came in as an undrafted rookie free agent, asked to work at both quarterback and wide receiver throughout training camp but now solely focused on receiver, said there were definitely some tense moments but he got a good feel for things this past Friday when he was actually in the team meeting and getting the congrats from teammates.
"It was very nerve wracking," said Murphy. "I didn't get much sleep the night before. I was a little hesitant to come to the building the day of. Once I got here and I was able to make it to the team meeting and run, a lot of congratulations were passed on to me."
It's not just the young guys that understand how tough making the roster is, or how hard you have to work to earn it. Veterans, even starters, get it as both Kelvin Beachum and Brandon Boykin tweeted over the weekend.
"It's always a battle," said Beachum. "You never know what can happen. You just never know. You have to be grateful for making it whether you are a starter, established or not. I take everything seriously. Nothing is guaranteed in life. You live day-to-day. Making a roster is always special."
First-year fullback Roosevelt Nix is well aware that there are no guarantees in the NFL, having felt the pain of being released last year by the Atlanta Falcons during training camp and not catching on with another team all last year. But this year, things were different for him when he made the final 53-man roster.
"This part of the process is a stressful time in a lot of athlete's lives," said Nix. "You don't really know what is going on, you can't really control a lot of stuff. You just have to do what you have to do to keep your focus. All you can do is know you did the best that you could and understand that it is a process.
"I don't think it will set in until I step on the field, but right now I am just blessed and thank God and my family for being my support system."
