Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers have reduced their schedule for their 2025 offseason program, the NFL announced on Thursday.
The Steelers will have just six days of OTAs in 2025, down from their usual schedule of 10, which is the NFL maximum. The Steelers have reduced the number of days of OTAs in the past, but not for several years.
The Steelers will start the first phase of their offseason conditioning program on April 21. That phase is limited to meetings and strength and conditioning work, and will last two weeks.
The second phase includes walkthrough-type drills and allows on-field individual and group instruction. That phase can last a maximum of four weeks, but the Steelers have just three built into their schedule.
They will then convene for six days of organized team activities, or OTAs, which are May 27-29 and June 3-5. OTAs are essentially padless, non-contract practices, which can even include full 11-on-11 periods.
All of the first three phases of the NFL offseason program are technically voluntary, though teams usually hope for high participation, especially during the on-field OTA work.
At the NFL owners meetings this week, head coach Mike Tomlin minimized the importance of OTAs when discussing a timeline for the team to sign free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
“In the spring, it’s about teaching and learning and getting familiar with players and making sure they get familiar with some of the things we value,” Tomlin said. “It’s not an evaluation time of the year for us. It’s certainly not a time of the year where we’re readying ourself for game action. Certainly, training camp would be a line of demarcation in terms of that discussion.”
The offseason program will end with a three-day mandatory minicamp, which will be held June 10-12. Rodgers notably skipped mandatory minicamp with the New York Jets last season.
The Steelers will also hold a rookie minicamp, the dates of which have not been released. It is usually held two weeks after the NFL Draft.
All of the Steelers offseason training programs are held at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex and are closed to the public.
