Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt peeled back the curtain on some of the differences between Mike McCarthy and Mike Tomlin.
“It’s been a lot. Yeah, I’m not gonna lie to you. It’s been a lot of studying, a lot of learning a lot on the iPad,” Watt said at minicamp on Wednesday. “Also trying to see new faces, not only players and coaches. There’s been a lot of good work.
“As you guys can see, things are a little bit different around here. It’s tougher as you get older to get to work in, but it’s all been phenomenal.”
Watt shared one difference between a McCarthy practice and a Tomlin practice.
“You don’t see benches out there anymore. It’s much different. Change is good,” Watt explained.
Watt also revealed that he’ll move around more in Patrick Graham’s defense. Watt typically only lined up at the left outside linebacker position.
“A lot of us are interchangeable partners,” Watt said. “You’re not just learning your position. You kind of have to learn the whole defensive front structure because we all are basically interchangeable.”
Watt admitted that he was hard-headed when it came to moving around the defense.
”I think in the past, it was a little bit more about me being stubborn,” Watt said. “I think this new system allows [more of that, because] a lot of it is built in, so I really can’t say no. I have to move with it. A lot of us are interchangeable parts. You’re not just learning your position, you kind of have to learn the whole defensive front structure because we all are basically interchangeable. We can do different things, so I think you’re going to see a lot more movement of not just me, but the whole front.”
Alan Saunders and Brenden Howe provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers OLB T.J. Watt Opens Up on Big Changes Under Mike McCarthy: ‘It’s Been a Lot’
