The Pittsburgh Steelers are beginning training camp later than usual with a July 28 report date, giving the team 14 open practices, one less than last year\u2019s 15. The later start to camp means it will also end later, with Pittsburgh\u2019s last practice session coming Aug. 17, compared to Aug. 12 last season.<\/p>\n
Former Steeler and current radio analyst Max Starks believes the later start date is indicative of the team being led by a veteran head coach in Mike McCarthy.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd they\u2019re not going to elect to take that early arrival date for camp. They\u2019re gonna treat it like a veteran-type of training camp. So I think that\u2019s what happens when you have a more old-school, established coach and you have a more seasoned team. You can kind of do those type of things and kind of fast track what you would normally get with a young head coach, first time head coach who\u2019s figuring everything out on the fly to lead a team,\u201d Starks said on SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier this week<\/a>.<\/p>\n There isn\u2019t really less practice time with the later start, but it does give players more time to rest before reporting to Latrobe for training camp. It\u2019s something that will be welcome by the veteran players.<\/p>\n The later start also gives the Steelers less practice time before they hit the field for the preseason, with their first preseason game coming Aug. 13, just 10 days after their first padded practice.<\/p>\n McCarthy is now coaching his third NFL team, and there isn\u2019t much of a need for him to get himself up to speed. With the Steelers working on installing his scheme during OTAs, there\u2019s less of a need to start things early during training camp, and players getting more rest is a good thing.<\/p>\n