What kind of advice did Pittsburgh Steelers rookie T.J. Watt get from brothers J.J. and Derek before entering his first NFL training camp? When talking to their brother, the elder Watt brothers stuck to the old idea that rookies should be seen and not heard.
“Keep your mouth shut and be a sponge,” Watt said that is brothers told him, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. “I’m not coming out here trying to be something I’m not. I truly love the game of football. That’s why I’m trying to learn as much as possible and give Pittsburgh what they want when they drafted me.”
Outspoken rookies make some sense when going to a young team that hasn’t experienced a lot of success. But certainly, Pittsburgh doesn’t fit that mold.
The Steelers are a veteran team, and some of the players on it have experienced great success. Players like Ben Roethlisberger and James Harrison have won two Super Bowls with the team.
This certainly seems like advice that will serve Watt well during training camp and into the season. And based on early reports, he’s well on his way to success.