Latrobe, PA – Pittsburgh Steelers training camp took an unexpected turn today when a rookie abruptly left the field during practice, sparking immediate conversations among players and coaches about commitment and professionalism.
The walkout reportedly occurred midway through defensive line drills, just before a scheduled team period. According to sources, the rookie became visibly frustrated after learning that a later draft pick had signed a more lucrative rookie deal.
The player in question was fifth-round defensive tackle Yahya Black, who left the field after discovering that sixth-round quarterback Will Howard had secured a four-year, $5.0 million contract with a $700,000 signing bonus and $1.3 million guaranteed — exceeding Black’s own four-year, $4.5 million deal with a $500,000 bonus and $1.1 million guaranteed.
Veteran running back Jaylen Warren made his feelings clear after practice. “Walking out of practice just because of a contract issue? In Pittsburgh, we stay on the field, bleed black and gold, and prove we belong. We’ve turned down bigger contracts just to keep wearing black and gold — if you walk away, you’re only letting someone else take your spot,” Warren said.
Black’s sudden exit left the defensive line rotation thin for the rest of the day, forcing adjustments from position coach Karl Dunbar and giving extra reps to fringe roster players fighting for a spot.
While rookie contract differences are often influenced by position value and signing leverage rather than draft position, the optics of a later pick earning more guaranteed money can be difficult for some players to accept.
Head coach Mike Tomlin declined to go into detail about the situation but emphasized that “availability is part of the job” and that the team expects full participation from everyone on the roster.
Howard, meanwhile, took part in the entire practice session without publicly addressing the situation. He remains in competition for a backup quarterback role behind Russell Wilson.
With the preseason opener just days away, the Steelers will be looking to redirect attention back to football. However, this incident has already added an unexpected layer of drama to camp in Latrobe.
