Steelers' Mike Tomlin Finally Opens Up About Training Camp Fight Involving Jalen Ramsey And Calvin Austin III

The Pittsburgh Steelers had an exciting offseason, with the addition of numerous big-name veterans via trades and free agency. Any head coach would be excited about bringing a ton of new talent onto the field, but Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin is more excited about the leadership in which these big-name veterans bring into the locker room.

Leadership isn't always leading the way vocally. Sometimes, it can also mean getting the best out of your teammates, and so far this offseason, that seems to be the case for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey comes to Pittsburgh after three and a half seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, three and a half seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, and two seasons with the Miami Dolphins. The three-time All-Pro has earned himself the title as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, but he also earned himself the title of one of the loudest players in the NFL. Ramsey has tried to use that to his advantage while settling into his new home in Pittsburgh. 

Earlier this month, Ramsey and fourth-year wide receiver Calvin Austin got into a brief scuffle following a play at training camp. Austin and Ramsey traded some shoves, said some words, and the two went their separate ways. The clash between the young talented wide receiver and the veteran superstar cornerback is just a small example of training camp scuffles that happen every year in the NFL, not just in Pittsburgh. In a recent interview with The Pivot Podcast, Tomlin answered a question from former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor regarding Austin and Ramsey's interaction. 

"In team development, there is going to be brother against brother," said Tomlin. "It's a component of it, we have to compete."

Training camp fights are common occurrences. After days and days of hard, competitive, physical practices in the Latrobe summer heat, tempers tend to flare. Tomlin uses these instances as a learning point for his team. 

Tomlin admitted to cracking a smile however, when he first saw the scuffle between Austin and Ramsey, before sharing a laugh with one of his top defensive players. 

"I was laughing, because Jalen was laughing at Calvin," Tomlin explained. "I'm like, 'Jalen, don't laugh at that little human man, he mean it man, you really pissed him off. He is trying to squabble with you, and you're laughing.'"

Tomlin's approach to the incident may not come as a surprise to anyone, as he has been known during his now 19-year head coaching career to be a players-first coach. For some, giving the players too much freedom, or becoming too close to the players can cause issues, but for the most part, it has seemed to work for Tomlin during his tenure in Pittsburgh. 

Steelers' Addition Of Ramsey Makes Them One Of The Best Secondaries In the NFL

Ramsey's play has spoken for itself throughout his NFL career, although some may say he is past his prime. He still has plenty to give to the Steelers, however. With the addition of Ramsey and Darius Slay, along with third-year cornerback Joey Porter Jr., the Steelers have compiled one of, if not the best secondary in the NFL. 

During the earlier interview with The Pivot Podcast, Tomlin also said his focus was building the best defensive back group to combat with some talented wide receiver rooms, especially in the AFC North. 

"We have to be able to matchup on people... I feel like we can do it against anybody," said Tomlin. "No disrespect to Cincinnati or anybody else who has an elite group, but that is just the level of confidence that we have in that collective."

By acquiring Ramsey and Slay to add with Porter Jr. and safety DeShon Elliott, the Steelers are primed to have an elite secondary. In the meantime, we'll see if cooler heads prevail during training camp.

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