With dark clouds threatening to crash Thursday’s schedule, Mike Tomlin called an audible and moved the Steelers’ camp to a crisp 10 a.m. start. Good thing he did—because the storm didn’t come from the skies, it came from the players. The practice wasn’t even padded, but that didn’t stop sparks from flying. Defensive backs and receivers were in no mood to hold back, and while Tomlin planned to dodge a summer storm, he walked straight into a football brawl.
So, what kicked it off? Tight end Jonnu Smith got into it with Juan Thornhill after beating the safety for a grab. The celebration turned sour when Smith tossed the ball at Thornhill, and that lit the fuse. Thornhill didn’t let it slide—he snatched off Smith’s helmet and got in his face. Before things got out of hand, Jalen Ramsey jumped in to separate the two. But that was just the start.
Soon after, the action shifted toward DK Metcalf, who clashed with Chuck Clark. Things got heated quickly, and as Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko noted, “Clark appeared to throw punches in Metcalf’s direction as part of a particularly physical practice.” And just like that, what was supposed to be a light session turned into a battlefield in Steel City.
But here’s the thing—Mike Tomlin’s not mad about it. “I’d much rather say ‘whoa’ than ‘sic ’em’,” Tomlin said. “This is a football team we’re putting together, but it’s also an opportunity to learn how to compete and compete the right way and be professional.” As for Metcalf, he chalked it up to frustration after a sluggish padded practice earlier in the week.
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“Nobody likes to lose like that,” Metcalf admitted. “Nobody likes to get pushed around on the first day it passed, but we took it personal, cleaned up our technique stuff, some of our splits, and made an emphasis in the meeting room yesterday that we were going to come out here and try to ball.” And ball they did.
A day after messy misfires, Aaron Rodgers looked locked in. He found Metcalf for a touchdown in Seven Shots, then connected with him again on a deep crosser and a key third-down conversion. Tomlin? He’s loving the fire and hopes the Rodgers-Metcalf spark keeps growing.
For Tomlin, the Rodgers-Metcalf connection means everything
Even Mike Tomlin couldn’t hide his excitement when Aaron Rodgers found DK Metcalf in the end zone during Day 2 of camp. “That’s what I envisioned all summer,” Tomlin said last week. So no, there were no fireworks or extra celebrations. As Tomlin joked, “That’s what I envisioned all summer,” and anything less wouldn’t have fit the plan.
Still, whether this early flash turns into real fire this fall is the question Steel City’s win-now squad is waiting to answer. The Steelers are taking big swings this season—rolling with names like Rodgers, Jalen Ramsey, and Darius Slay. While the defense bears Tomlin’s steady stamp, the team’s ceiling rides on the Rodgers-Metcalf connection.
Metcalf, meanwhile, brings the heat. With his 6-foot-4 frame and sub-4.4 speed, he’s one of the league’s most dangerous deep threats. Last season, he ranked fourth in deep target rate (25.9%), sixth in air yards per target (13.7), and 11th in yards per reception (15.0). The Steelers see him as a franchise cornerstone. Hence, they locked him up on a four-year, $132 million deal after acquiring him in March.
Ultimately, though, it comes down to Rodgers. He’s 41 now and about as mobile as a parked car. Last year, he ranked in the bottom half of nearly every key passing metric. Still, as always, Tomlin remains hopeful the veteran can summon one last run.
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