During the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp, a fight erupted that quickly went viral. The altercation began when Elandon Roberts pushed quarterback Justin Fields after Fields had seemingly given himself up on a run. The offensive line, feeling Roberts had delivered a late hit, became furious. Players like Mason McCormick and Troy Fautanu rallied to Fields' defense, making their presence felt.
The skirmish involved nearly the entire offense and defense. After practice, Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin addressed the incident, acknowledging his displeasure, but noting that such things are part of football. While Tomlin wouldn’t admit it directly, he might appreciate his young offensive line standing up for their quarterback and the defensive unit’s intensity, even if he doesn't condone team fights.
On Thursday, Patrick Queen and Roberts appeared on Not Just Football with Cam Heyward. When the podcast began, Queen and Roberts were asked about their trash-talking skills, and Roberts seized the opportunity to reveal the real reason behind his confrontation with Fields.
"A lot of people don’t know bro. Before I started that fight with J-Fields, I only started it because PQ [Patrick Queen] was in it with the offensive line," Roberts said. "So I was just like, 'Alright bro, watch this.'"
A few plays before Roberts pushed Fields, Queen had been trash-talking with the entire offensive line. This heated exchange fired up Roberts, prompting him to take action and ignite the fight. The Steelers' young offensive linemen made it clear they would fiercely defend their quarterback, showing they take that responsibility seriously.
After practice, Steelers center Nate Herbig was quick to weigh in on the altercation. He discussed what led to the fight and why tensions escalated.
"Nobody’s gonna hit our quarterback, cheap shot, and get away with it," Herbig said. "It’s a big emphasis for us, a big emphasis for our unit. It’s nothing personal, we just protect our quarterback."
The energy at this year’s training camp felt noticeably different. The Steelers made several exciting moves this offseason, including a major acquisition: Queen. Signed to a three-year, $41 million deal, Queen joins the Steelers after four years with their rivals, the Baltimore Ravens.
Eager to embrace his new role as a villain, Queen has made a strong impression with both his elite play and his sharp trash-talking. The Steelers are excited to have him be another force on an already loaded defense.
Steelers' Patrick Queen And Elandon Roberts Forming A Dynamic Duo
The pairing of Queen and Roberts has added a thrilling dynamic to the camp. They’ve been challenging running backs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris throughout practice. Their battles in the backs-on-backers drills have been intense, with Roberts and Queen even discussing strategies late at night for how they plan to target Harris and Warren the next day. The duo of Queen and Roberts should be very dominant during the 2024 season.
Harris and Warren, known for their tenacity, play well above their weight class despite the typical strength advantage linebackers have. This fierce competitiveness between the units contributed to the recent fight. While no one likes to see team conflicts, it underscores the heightened intensity of this training camp and hints at an exciting season for the Steelers in 2024.
The Steelers face significant pressure as they head into the season. Although Tomlin has recently signed a three-year extension, his team has not won a playoff game since the 2016 season. There is optimism that the aggressive moves made this offseason will help Pittsburgh break their playoff drought and re-enter the Super Bowl conversation. As camp wraps up, Steelers fans have seen a new vibe so far. The season has a very positive outlook on it at this moment in time.
