Just weeks into his first season as a Pittsburgh Steeler, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is trying to become involved in his new community. It’s the first time in his career he’s joined a new team after he played for the Indianapolis Colts for six seasons prior.
When speaking with Newsweek on Tuesday, Pittman admitted that a video new Steelers coach Mike McCarthy showed the team ahead of the season inspired him to get active in the Pittsburgh community.
“When I first got to Pittsburgh, McCarthy put on this really nice video where it kind of showed how the Pittsburgh Steelers took on the personality of the city and the people behind it,” Pittman said. “It goes back to the steel mills and how they never closed. It’s just a blue-collared place. It really goes back to the Steelers culture, how it’s tough and grimy and bad weather football. They really took on that mentality from the people here.”
Pittman wanted to give back to the Pittsburgh community in whatever way he could. So, he teamed up with Toyota to host a flag football camp for deaf and hard of hearing children on Tuesday. Meeting Steelers fans and members of the Pittsburgh area helped ignite even more fire within Pittman to want to deliver some wins for the organization.
“We’re looking to build on it,” Pittman said of the Steelers’ 2-2 start. “We’re coming off of a loss, so looking to get this next one right. The best way to feel better is to take it out on the next guy. So, that’s what we’re going to try to do.”
The “next guy” the Steelers will face happens to be Pittman’s former team, the Colts, on Sunday, Oct. 11. Unfortunately, Pittman will no longer compete in the reunion contest as he re-injured his plantar fasciitis on his foot on Wednesday. He’ll miss multiple weeks with the injury.
This injury won’t stop Pittman from finding ways to be involved in the matchup. He’ll want to reunite with some of his former teammates and coaches on Sunday, but he’s making sure to do that after the game.
“It’s no more important to me than the next game,” Pittman said about facing the Colts. “We only got 17 [games], so every game is the most important game. I’m excited to see the staff and some of my old teammates, but just know as soon as the clock starts, we’re not friends until that clock ends. Then, after we can talk about it.”
Pittman’s liked making Pittsburgh his home already. He gets to work with veteran minds like quarterback Aaron Rodgers and coach McCarthy, two people he’s learned a lot from. From Rodgers, Pittman respects how much the 42-year-old knows about the game.
“Playing with Aaron, I feel like has definitely elevated the mental side of football for me personally,” Pittman said. “Just the way he demands your best, he’s not going to let you slide by. He wants you to know everything that he knows, which he knows a lot. So, everybody’s catching up.”
Pittman admitted Rodgers is like an extension of McCarthy out on the field with the team. It’s clear the quarterback and coach agree on a lot of aspects of the game.
“Him and Mike have a great connection out there. It’s almost like having a coach out there on the field. I feel like they’re always thinking the same thing,” Pittman said. “He’s just a great leader to be around and a great guy to learn from.”
Through three games, Rodgers and Pittman have connected on seven passes for 89 yards. They’re still waiting to connect on a touchdown pass.
McCarthy and Pittman are in a similar boat this season—they’re both new to the Steelers organization. There’s been learning curves for both of them as they work to adjust to a new team. Similarly to what McCarthy said this week about needing to “clean our own house,” Pittman said the team is focused on “cleaning” up elements in order to win more football games.
“We don’t think we’ve played our best ball yet. Obviously we’re only four games in and we have some things to clean up. We’re going to keep on working towards us,” Pittman said. “…We feel real confident in what we can do and where we’re going, we just gotta execute the small things and we’ll look up in December and January, and we’ll be feeling pretty good.”
The Steelers have the chance to hold a winning record if they can pull off a win against Pittman’s former team, the Colts. But, they’ll have to do so without Pittman on the field.