Pittsburgh Steelers' Isaac Seumalo On The Mistake Of Learning Lessons The Hard Way And The Value Paying It Forward

When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed free agent guard Isaac Seumalo this offseason, most fans were excited. Seumalo, who spent the entirety of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, says the difficult lessons learned early in his career, have helped shape him into a player that will be a difference-maker in Pittsburgh.  

During his first few seasons with the Eagles, he fought hard for a starting spot on the roster. He was both benched and the replacement for someone else who was benched. He battled through injuries and the challenges of playing in the NFL.  

Now Seumalo opens up about those struggles, what he tells younger players, and how he applied those lessons to grow.  

"Whatever I can bring, not just in terms of what I do personally, but what I can do to help my teammates, is always my number one goal."

Steelers Are Lucky To Have Isaac Seumalo As A Quiet Leader On The Offensive Line

Recently, Seumalo appeared on the House of Yinzer podcast. He talked with the hosts, LeeAnn Lowman and Allison Koehler about those early struggles and how they shaped him as a player. 

Seumalo said he was very fortunate to have worked with some great players in Philadelphia that truly helped shape his approach to the game. Some of the players he worked with have been named as some of the best offensive linemen in the game by Pro Football Focus.

"When I first got there, they signed Brandon Brooks from Houston. He was like a mentor, a close friend. Teaching me not only on the field, how to approach the game off the field and how to act as a real professional with time management, priorities, and understanding what it takes to be a professional football player. I'm very close with Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce who I played with for a long time. Those guys are real good, they deserve the accolades they get."

Seumalo had to learn that the NFL is more than just adapting to the physical challenges, there is a big component of the game that is mental. As a young player, those intangible lessons were some of the most critical he learned from the vets on his team. Unfortunately, according to Seumalo, most players don't learn those hard lessons by just hearing them, they have to experience difficulties.  

"There is nothing like trial by fire. It would be nice to learn some lessons without necessarily learning the hard way. I think understanding how much you got to put into the game, but also the mental approach, especially as an offensive lineman. It's all about taking it one play at a time, understanding that perfection is never going to happen, but striving for perfection is the goal. I always kind of think of it like this, the way defensive backs and corners, how confident they are, and how they play, and how they take it a day at a time, a play at a time. That's how you have to be on the offensive line because it doesn't matter if you had the greatest play in the world or the worst play in the world. You just gotta understand that it's a marathon."

Seumalo was asked what kind of advice he would offer a young player, like Kendrick Green or Kevin Dotson, who had had some ups and downs during their career. That ability to accept feedback and apply it is something that can be the difference maker on whether a player succeeds in the NFL. 

"I was lucky enough when I came in to have older veterans that were not only really good players, but were really good people. They took me under their wing and helped me become the player I am today. Just learning what it means to be a pro and understanding how much of the NFL really is, 'What have you done for me lately?' You really have to ride the waves. I've had my ups and downs early on in my career, either getting benched or injured. Whatever wealth of knowledge I can offer if guys are willing. I just try to give the perspective that I've been there and I know how you feel. I know how tough this sport is, you gotta be able to stick with it. Because we're at this level, everybody's good and it's the little differences that can make you as consistent as possible is always what we are striving for."   

One thing is clear from talking to Seumalo, he is going to quickly become a leader. He should be a calming, veteran presence on a young Steelers offense. At 29 years old, Seumalo is the oldest projected starter with center Mason Cole being second at 27. He spent his career with a team that went to two Super Bowls during his tenure. He will be able to help infuse that winning attitude into a line that has had more chaos than wins. 

What do you think about Seumalo? Do you think he is spot-on with his advice? Will he be able to help some of those younger players grow and mature a bit? Tell us what's on your mind, click to comment below. 

#SteelerNation