As the Pittsburgh Steelers open training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, new head coach Mike McCarthy has instituted a major shift by eliminating live tackling during team periods. The departure from Mike Tomlin’s 19-year tenure aims to reduce injury risks as the team prepares for the upcoming season.
When the Pittsburgh Steelers reported to Saint Vincent College for the start of training camp, players and fans walked into an environment fundamentally reshaped by the Mike McCarthy era. After nearly two decades under Mike Tomlin, who famously prized a physical, contact-heavy training camp philosophy, the franchise is pivoting toward a modern approach designed to preserve player health.
Mike McCarthy Cuts Live Tackling From Steelers Training Camp
The most striking change on the practice field is the total elimination of live tackling during team periods. Under Tomlin, the Steelers held some of the most physical training camp sessions in the NFL, featuring thunderous collisions and intense goal-line battles. Tomlin often defended the heavy contact by comparing football to boxing, asserting that a team cannot spar without hitting.
McCarthy, entering his 19th season as an NFL head coach, takes a sharply different view. Rather than putting players at risk of injury by taking each other to the ground in practice, the new coaching staff will rely on dummies, individual technique work, and fundamentals. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the team will reserve live tackling entirely for preseason games.
“Tackling is a good way to go. I’ve done it, but I feel like we’ll be able to get it done in other ways of training. Injuries are part of the game. You have to do the best you can. It’s a judgment. You try to reduce risk.”
Mike McCarthy, Head Coach, via NBC Sports
McCarthy noted that every drill is carefully evaluated using GPS tracking technology.
New Schedule in Latrobe
The shift in physical contact is matched by a distinct change in the daily calendar. While Tomlin preferred to run practices during the hottest part of the day around 3 p.m. to steel his players against adversity, McCarthy moves the schedule to the morning, typically starting on-field work near 11 a.m. following team meetings at 7:30.
McCarthy believes in regularity and getting heavy work done early.
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For veteran edge rusher T.J. Watt, entering his 10th season, the adjustments represent a welcome change of pace. Meanwhile, offensive players are experiencing a unique dynamic under an offensive-minded head coach who calls plays. Wide receiver DK Metcalf noted a distinct difference in practice accountability when mistakes happen on the offensive side of the ball, providing a fresh atmosphere for a franchise seeking its first playoff victory since the 2016 season.
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