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When Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy took the podium Wednesday at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, he answered questions about his practice philosophy. His announcement that the team would not be tackling during camp is a dramatic departure from the old-school, contact-heavy camps of the past. That evolution wasn't accidental; it was forged through early career mistakes.
Reflecting on his growth as a head coach, McCarthy offered a candid look back at his head coaching debut two decades ago.
"Yeah, I think just being extremely honest, I ran the team in the ground my first year as a head coach in '06," McCarthy admitted. "Learned about it. I could recall the first preseason game we played in. We caught a game down there in Cincinnati at night. Storm went through there, and it was hotter and hell, muggy, and we played the starters a lot that day. So my point is I know what that looks like. I've done that. I've crossed that line too many times."
That lesson reshaped how McCarthy structures training camp. Instead of grinding players down with continuous live tackling and goal-line collisions that elevate injury risks, McCarthy relies on modern sports science and fundamental technique to prepare his roster.
"Integrating GPS has been a good source of information," McCarthy explained. "Started using that back in about 2010. So, that's a tool that I think's really helped us. You've had two collective bargaining agreements since then. But yeah, I think just like anything. it really comes down to the fundamentals and the key to all fundamentals is, you know, is your feet, hands, and eyes."
Even during goal-line periods, McCarthy emphasizes player safety. "When bodies roll, you know, when you get the collisions. You just try to really emphasize guys staying up because when guys get tangled, you know, the risk for injury goes up."
By prioritizing movement mechanics over excessive wear and tear, McCarthy aims to keep Pittsburgh healthy for January.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: How a 2006 coaching regret reshaped Mike McCarthy's camp philosophy
Continue reading...
Reflecting on his growth as a head coach, McCarthy offered a candid look back at his head coaching debut two decades ago.
"Yeah, I think just being extremely honest, I ran the team in the ground my first year as a head coach in '06," McCarthy admitted. "Learned about it. I could recall the first preseason game we played in. We caught a game down there in Cincinnati at night. Storm went through there, and it was hotter and hell, muggy, and we played the starters a lot that day. So my point is I know what that looks like. I've done that. I've crossed that line too many times."
That lesson reshaped how McCarthy structures training camp. Instead of grinding players down with continuous live tackling and goal-line collisions that elevate injury risks, McCarthy relies on modern sports science and fundamental technique to prepare his roster.
"Integrating GPS has been a good source of information," McCarthy explained. "Started using that back in about 2010. So, that's a tool that I think's really helped us. You've had two collective bargaining agreements since then. But yeah, I think just like anything. it really comes down to the fundamentals and the key to all fundamentals is, you know, is your feet, hands, and eyes."
Even during goal-line periods, McCarthy emphasizes player safety. "When bodies roll, you know, when you get the collisions. You just try to really emphasize guys staying up because when guys get tangled, you know, the risk for injury goes up."
By prioritizing movement mechanics over excessive wear and tear, McCarthy aims to keep Pittsburgh healthy for January.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: How a 2006 coaching regret reshaped Mike McCarthy's camp philosophy
Continue reading...
