Mike McCarthy isn’t eager to say goodbye to Saint Vincent College just yet.
As the Steelers wrap up camp and head back to the South Side, the head coach made it clear he’s already thinking about returning to Latrobe next year - and maybe even stretching the stay a little longer.
“In some ways disappointed to leave here because this is such a great environment for us to train in,” McCarthy said. “It’s disappointing, probably for the fans just because those are our best practices when everybody's out there.”
Even with the wet summer and plenty of bad weather mixed into camp, McCarthy said his opinion of Saint Vincent hasn’t changed. In his eyes, the place gets high marks across the board.
"I was talking to [general manager] Omar [Khan] and I said, 'You know, I'm actually looking forward to next year,'" McCarthy said. "I'm gonna enjoy training camp next year... as far as the support staff, facilities, St.
Vincent's, just as a whole, is an A+. I really think this is not only a special place, but this is a great place to train the football team, you know, just the whole environment.”
He even floated the idea of extending camp, though he admitted that message probably won’t land well in every locker room.
"Players might not want to hear this, but we'll see if we can stay longer next year," McCarthy said.
That kind of stay - living in dorms for a couple of weeks and working through camp away from the team’s regular facility - has long been a point of frustration for some Steelers players. The separation from family and the campus setting can wear on them.
But from McCarthy’s perspective, the setup still brings real advantages. The environment gives the staff more time to build chemistry, and the fans get a front-row seat to the team’s best work when the sessions are open.
The new indoor facility, which opened this year, also gives Pittsburgh a way to keep working when the weather turns rough.
The Steelers remain one of the few teams that still head away from their usual home for training camp, and for now, there doesn’t appear to be any appetite to change that. For McCarthy, the case for Latrobe seems pretty simple: the benefits still outweigh the complaints.
In Other News...
Will Howard Suddenly Has A Bigger Steelers Roster Problem
The Steelers got a useful look at their quarterback room in the preseason game against Green Bay, and on the surface it was a solid night for the group. Will Howard completed seven of nine passes for 86 yards, a respectable showing for a young passer trying to make a case in a crowded competition, but the depth chart is tightening fast around him.
Mason Rudolph remains in the mix as the steadier presence, and rookie Drew Allar added another layer to the battle with a strong performance that clearly left an impression on Mike McCarthy. For Howard, that means every snap matters even more now, because the path to sticking on the roster is starting to look narrower than it did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Najee Harris Just Got A Big Chance After His Latest Setback
Najee Harris is still looking for his next NFL home, and a visit with the New York Giants gives the former Steelers running back a real opportunity to keep his career moving after a difficult setback. For a player who once handled a heavy workload in Pittsburgh, the chance to re-enter the picture in New York is the kind of opening that can matter this late in the process, especially for a team that is still sorting out its depth behind Cam Skattebo.
The Giants want to see where Harris stands before anything goes further, which makes this more than just a courtesy stop. He has to prove he is far enough along in his recovery to be considered for a roster spot, and that part of the process can matter just as much as the name recognition. If Harris clears that hurdle, he could give a backfield in need of another option a veteran presence and a familiar kind of insurance. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fringe Roster Battle Just Got Much Harder To Ignore
Pittsburghs final public practice of training camp was shortened by rain, but the weather did little to slow the conversation around the back end of the roster. With two preseason games still to play before the cutdown to 53, the Steelers have seen a few fringe players make a real case for themselves, turning what looked like routine camp depth into a more interesting evaluation for the coaching staff.
Lew Nichols, Brandon Smith and Doneiko Slaughter have all popped enough in camp and in the preseason opener to force another look, even though none entered the summer with much buzz as likely roster pieces. For a team still sorting out the final spots, that kind of performance matters, and it has made the next stretch of preseason feel a little less about filling out games and a lot more about separating names that seemed like afterthoughts a week ago. [Read more 🡒]