Miles Killebrew, Cam Heyward, Spencer Anderson Media Availability (Sept. 2) | Pittsburgh Steelers

what does it mean to be elected Captain for second or third season third year that's it's an honor it's an honor there's no other way to describe it definitely something I don't take for granted um you know to be able to be voted by by my peers here in the locker room it means a lot uh and I take uh great responsibility for it you know moving forward got to be uh got to be a huge support for uh for my guys on teams you've known what it's like to be a new guy get acclimated and then step into that leadership role pretty early on Russell wils is doing the same thing now being elected Captain what does he kind of bring to the locker room in terms of that leadership role oh he's he's a strong leader you know and he he brings veteran experience he's been doing it at a high level for a long time and I think with that experience uh it kind of calms nerves and and he can lead guys through a various of situations uh because he's seen it he's seen a lot so uh just just a calming presence I would say I was obviously the first time is special but when you get it a third time is there a reward of like hey still doing the right things and the same type of satisfaction when coach said my name it felt just as exciting as the first time I was um just completely thrilled and humbled and it's definitely just a moment for me to step up and and be what my why my teammates need me to be which is um just someone who holds the standard yep Tyler Mich was a special teams Captain before you got here you think you guys want to like battle it out for special teams captain or uh no no I I I wouldn't say anything like that um if anything I would consider him a co- Captain uh you know he has the same amount of experience as me um and and we feed off of each other's ideas uh I would say that we're more Brothers than anything uh and so I'm so happy to have him on on the team it's it's only adding to our to our uh leadership on special teams and I think we're going to we're going to have a great year together miles you also play defense obviously how would you describe the leadership you you get from TJ and from cam oh man leadership from TJ and Cam I mean that's like a it's like a master class you know I know a lot of players would pay to to hear some things from TJ and cam so I don't take it I don't take it lightly I get to sit next to him every day and you know I try to glean any wisdom I can I I work with them when I can you know they're their knowledge is very deep and vast so it's definitely a lot of fun guys like that are chasing still trying to get deep into the playoffs right how what's the motivation level like you see for guys like that that have been here a while that haven't tasted what they want to get I I would only describe it as hunger you know we're we're very hungry all of us and uh we want to exceed and we want to do it we want to we want to go deep man I'll just say it plainly you know we want to win and win convincingly and that's on all of our minds we we're we're sacrificing a lot and we're coming together as a a team as a unit and we're trying to figure out how to get it done almost every year there's going to be new people on special teams but obviously some major role changes how how ready do you guys feel as a unit for Sunday I feel like Coach Danny Smith is doing his absolute best to make sure that we're prepared and I feel like we are we are getting prepared uh we've put in the hours we put in the work and now we're going to continue to do that as we uh get ready to sare off against Atlanta how weird did that first like kick return and and kickoff feel when like the rules are so different from anything going back to the first preseason game I mean how strange and like Out of Body Experience maybe wasn't I mean listen I'm one of the old players who is used to taking off before the ball's kicked you know from a from a distance so I've I've seen all the variations and it's it's taken some getting used to but uh hey I'm a proponent for it it's not going anywhere we have to embrace it and adapt and that's what we're doing cam you're no stranger to being a captain but what does it mean to be voted by your te uh I don't take it for granted um you know it's a it's an honor to be you know um selected uh to represent represent a group of men um but um one it's not just uh you know me walking around in front of a Podium um it's listening to the guys um being an extension um and trying to represent them as much as possible know Russ has also been V voted a captain he's a newer guy around here just what does it say about the way that he's come in and acclimated to the locker room and kind of assumed this leadership role yeah I think you know on the offensive side of the ball um there's a lot of leadership that was needed and you know I think he's uh ready for that um we'll see how he he does um and if he has questions ask me TJ and miles miles was saying that part of the thing about rest is that he calms a lot of nerves because he's been there done that I mean how valuable is that as a leader to have kind of seen everything to see and be able to take charge of some chaotic situation well I think just the experience Alone um you know he's reached Heights that me and TJ haven't even so you know I think from that standpoint um he's he's got what we're going for and you know hopefully he adds to the group and you know make sure that we can all get there with that when when you see a guy like that who has gotten there does that fuel your fire more of course um you know I I want to that's all I want in this game um and um to help the group and you know to get over the top and uh one day raising Lombardi and you know you want to ask about the experience in the playoffs um you know getting over those hurdles uh and you know we got to have complimentary football it can't just be offense just can't be defense can't just be special teams it's going to take every part of the part of this team to get it done cam since you've been here what team do you feel like had the best shot to win a Super Bowl oo Best Shot um I think either 16 or 17 um 16 I was hurt 17 Shay got hurt I think right um and so um you know when Shay went down we were like the top rated defense at the time uh and it just kind of threw us for a loop but um you know hopefully we have something that Rivals at this year do those close misses stick in your mind and you know motivation to get back you know close misses um you know uh a ball going you know one way or the other um you know we were in the playoffs firstus Denver years ago um you know fumble changed that outcome of that game uh not getting a stop on defense there um you know there there's countless amount of games um you know even when we played KC we started off so fast in the playoffs um you know we had turnovers but we couldn't get points on the board um you know you're just we're looking for complete games especially in the playoffs uh but first we got to make sure we capitalize on getting to the playoffs um you know you can't Overlook that uh it's a newer team but uh the goal is to make the playoffs and then win Super Bowl after going through this entire team development process trying to preseason everything like that to be here now how is this year different than any of the other years that you played on this team I think it's still too early to say uh you know I think we got to see ourselves when you know you're flying around and things are chaotic uh how do we bounce back in those moments um how do we you know stay together through thick moments how do we um you know win the games we're supposed to how do we um adjust accordingly um these are all questions we got to answer throughout the year uh but hopefully we answer these questions early so when we get to December uh we know what type of team we are Mike talked about when you guys signed Russ that his drive and his hunger was a big reason why he was the right foot here what do you remember about the early FaceTime or the first FaceTime calling rest to recruit him to come to Pittsburgh it the thing about recruiting I would say is it wasn't really a recruit it was just me sharing my experiences um and seeing if they aligned with what he was thinking um you know I think he understood the history that was already set before here um and then the challenge that comes along with being a Pittsburgh Steeler because you're not just playing uh for the guys in here you're playing for the guys who' have already played before and so I think he really aligned with that uh the hunger of trying to win another Super Bowl is Big not only in him but it's in us uh and so I think we were very aligned on that when you hung up on the FaceTime were you like this guy's a stealer like he's got to come here um you know I really didn't know what was going to happen I I I texted TJ mink and I was just like you're ready uh you know uh Russ is going to want to talk to you for a good bit but uh you know I think uh you know you never want to get too high or too low in these free agency things because you know it can go sideways very fast and so um it wasn't you know oh he's definitely be our quarterback but hey if we get this guy he can really help us what you said mentioned TJ n do you guys you know they've been through a lot of these droughts too yeah do you guys talk about that like what you want to accomplish here I think the main thing we talk about is what are our goals entering the year um because you have to have a St we talk about the standard as a standard but what our standard to ourselves um you know whether it's run pass um you know how are we going to stick out as a unit and you know challenging ourselves so you know when we hit our goals we hit our goals but when we don't uh it's unacceptable Mike talked about in the in his end of season press conference that he wanted to win confetti for guys like you and TJ do you feel a different sense of urgency or or even more urgency from him or just any kind of shift in this offseason to try to get you guys to that point you know I I I don't really pay attention to that because I feel like I got to winner for him you know um you know I I kind of laugh when people say oh this guy deserves want a Super Bowl or anything only way you deserve it is you earn it and so you know that's always been my motto and um for the guys in the locker room we got to earn it week in and week out um they're not just going to hand you award you know it's not a participation trophy you got to go out there and get it how much motivation is it that maybe the outside people are questioning you at 35 can you come back injury do you clip on to that do you hold on to that how much that motivation uh there's there's plenty of motivation in that um um I've had to eat it um and absorb it um you know everybody's entit opinion but you know I want to make your opinion wrong and you know I think um I just look forward to playing good football um you know I understand this this is a fragile game and you know you're not promis tomorrow but uh I'm trying to maximize everything of it out of it and you know I'm going to approach it that way um I'm not going to run from it um just going to run straight into it you feel that's disrespectful though I mean you've done it for 12 whatever 13 years that one injury year that all of a sudden you know what it's funny um yeah um but you know that's their opinion um I can't try to make everybody happy uh you know in my mind um I got more to do and more to play for and more emphasis on the left side uh yeah I I would say I took more left and right but I feel like it was pretty equal more emphasis on the first team or second team um it was a little um it was a little bit of both you know second group first group uh you know going against the defense sometimes second group so um you know it's a good work we ahead of us but nobody obviously wants you don't want anybody to get hurt but there's an opportunity here for now how do you approach what what's coming up uh obviously I'm capitalize on uh every opportunity I'm given you know you never know what happens like what happened but uh you know just being ready light on my feet and uh get ready to work you were able to get some reps with that first group in the preseason for Isaac did that help you out at all with this uh absolutely um you know I'm prepared um whatever way it goes um you know obviously preseason got a got some live bullets at it and um we'll see what happens under what's your relationship with Russ like right now I know you guys have spent some time together in the off season but just you know if you end up being part of the starting line just what is your relationship like with him uh he's a good guy um he's genuine uh a leader obviously um just got voted Captain um you know he's a guy that is going to get the offense on the right page and um whatever he says we're good with so he's got the keys to the car and we're just passengers uh in the preseason when that player jumped off sides and you did a little theatrics what kind of reaction did you get in the film next day um nobody really even said anything to me um other than other than coach uh coach Isaac uh Williams he's like he's like hey man you know he was like I understand this but he's like don't do that but but we all laughed about it it was it was all good um you know he kind of hit me and I was kind of like I was going backwards and I'm kind of like H I might as well do a front row at this point so um it was just kind of instinctual nothing really planned out nobody gave you an Oscars trophy after that uh no but a lot of people wanted to give me honor Oscar not at all I give you a d on that D Spencer you played a lot of different positions but you got to focus a lot Camp OTAs at guard how does that impact this opportunity um definitely something I'm prepared for obviously cuz that's uh mainly what I played all camp and uh you know if something happens and I need to go to tackle obviously I'm prepared for that too so um like I said being light on my feet and just ready to work the opportunity comes how much pride you take in having that versatility to be able to play uh I I like it honestly um you know sometimes it kind of gets a little mundane you know like oh he's so versatile but um I kind of take pride in it sometimes because you know like like Dan always says um it's like wiping your butt with your left hand and uh you know to be able to flip sides is kind of I guess something that I take seriously and something that I guess is a specialization mentioned that Russ was selected as a captain just what does it say about the way that he's kind of come in and adapted to this locker room and is leading this locker room even as a newer guy to this team yeah I mean everybody's kind of GRA gravitated towards him as soon as he got here from day one obviously we know his pedigree his his resume as a player but um you know he never came in and fled any of that it's not hey I'm Russell Wilson man like you know you're you're beneath me it was always hey man like what's your background how like you know where did you come from you know just that in the third so um ever since since he's got here has kind of been a personal relationship with everybody on the offense and um unfortunately some guys aren't here but even they probably tell you the same thing like you know he's like hey you know tell me about yourself and what what not he'll come grab a Pip with you to eat or whatever but um he's definitely a guy that's you know a regular guy with status but uh obviously no no discredit to his resume but if this opportunity comes seventh round pick get waight last year played a lot of positions had emotion what would what would that be like suay um obviously it'd be exciting but then I got to you know get my booth back on the ground and get to work cuz obviously we got one goal coming on Sunday and that's to win so um obviously I'd be excited about my family it be you know bothering me but you know I would have to you know kind of put it in a rearview and get to work you ver you mentioned the versatility but you probably played what 70 80% of the snaps a card this summer yeah absolutely I think only play like three drives at tackle preseason so you feel like you you've settled in and if guard is your position that you could just roll I believe so yeah but why cuz you played so many different positions in Maryland why why do you think is your best position yeah actually you know when I was in college I was like you know my coach came to me was like Hey you know we had a couple injuries or whatever he's like hey I need you to go from right tackle to guard and I was kind of like man I'm a tackle and then you know I kind of liked it I'm like hm it's less space inside everything happens faster um you go against equal athletes not as uh speedy guys as you know your TJ and hers but um you know I kind of didn't like it at first but obviously it was the best thing for me and I I've kind of taken it to uh I kind of taking it personal to make it my own and who's hold you this year that they want you to focus mostly on um it was kind of like a indirect thing um nobody directly told me but it was kind of like you know hey I know you're snapping and all or I know you're a tackle Buton he was like just get get some more reps of guard you know know ta is kind of everything's kind of fluid and um you know everybody's moving around and you're just fing in honestly cuz you know it's just on air and then as cam roll in it's like you know hey um I received a call I'm like like hey how you doing I'm enjoying my off season cool whatever ready for the trou I'm like yeah if I'm you what position I'm focusing on I'm like um guard they like okay I just want you know I want to see where your mind's at I was like okay so um I wasn't indirectly told but I wasn't directly told but I guess you can say indirectly who that call from um a coach a coach did that what would be like having a guy like Dan Moore on the left yeah um you know me and Dan he he likes the way we work together and um you know Dan's a good guy obviously um you know being I guess kind of understudy to Isaac all last year um you know I know a lot of the same calls cuz obviously you know you have Old Line calls and you have stuff that you know you kind of tell one another so I'm you know it's like I'm try not to go in and you know uh Miss A Beat