PITTSBURGH — T.J. Watt stepped into his first defensive meeting of the offseason a few weeks back, not sure what to expect from the Steelers’ new coaching staff. Just as he was settling in, a rookie walked to the front of the room and began giving a presentation on an old-school hip-hop group.
“What is going on right now?” Watt remembers saying. “I had no idea what was happening.”
The unexpected history lesson was the brainchild of new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Each week, Graham picks an artist or a hip-hop collective. Then on Thursdays, one player gives a presentation on where the artist originated, who founded the group and their biggest hit. The player also gets his chance to give his opinion on the music.
De La Soul one week. OutKast and Goodie Mob the next. Q-Tip. A Tribe Called Quest. Queen Latifah.
“I’ve got to make sure it’s something I want to listen to,” Graham said. “It’s all stuff that I grew up with as a kid, stuff I listened to before the games.”
Recently, second-year linebacker Jack Sawyer drew the assignment of the Dungeon Family, an Atlanta-based collective founded in the early 90s by Rico Wade. The collective has included artists like OutKast, TLC, Future and many others. Sawyer said he knew some of the artists, but didn’t realize Future was part of the collective early in his career.
“It’s funny because you can tell (Sawyer) was just reading off a Wikipedia page,” veteran Cameron Heyward said. “I’m like, ‘You’re not really listening to that.’”
Sawyer, who insists his taste in music includes not only country but also old-school rap, defended himself against the alleged plagiarism.
“Of course he said that,” Sawyer said. “Cam never wants to give me any credit. That’s kind of our relationship. It’s funny. They all started laughing. It did sound like (Wikipedia), but I did put some effort into it in my research.”
While Graham’s Thursday hip-hop history lessons are unorthodox, there’s a method behind the music. He inherits what’s currently the NFL’s highest-paid defense, with a collective salary-cap hit of $194.6 million. The veteran-laden core, which features several Pro Bowlers, All-Pros and a couple potential future Hall of Famers, hasn’t always lived up to its own lofty expectations and hefty collective cap hit. Graham hasn’t been shy about demanding a high level of performance from this group.
“PG has been really clear: He wants it to be the Steel Curtain,” inside linebacker Payton Wilson said. “But we have to earn that right. That’s not just something that comes with being a part of the Steelers.”
Graham is updating the defense by installing some different front structures, blitzes, coverages and other schematics. But the coach, who earned a sociology degree from Yale, also believes that if he’s going to unlock another level of execution, he first needs to get to know his roster on a more personal level.
“What I really try to do is open up and let them know about me a little bit, in terms of, OK, this is the music I listen to,” Graham said. “I’m letting them know who I am, so in turn they’ll feel comfortable talking to me.”
Graham said that from there, the side conversations flow. Sometimes they talk (or more often text) about football. Other times, they discuss family or something in their personal life.
“This generation, they get a bad rap,” Graham said. “They want to know that you care. How do you show that you care? You get to know them, and you have tolerance for first-time mistakes. For me, the communication part is getting them to open up and talk to you. One way we do it is make sure they know about us and be vulnerable there.”
While they’re still early in this process, players are clearly starting to feel more comfortable around their new coach. You can tell because the chirps have already started — and it’s not just Sawyer on the receiving end.
“We always like to bust his (chops) and call him a nerd since he went to Yale,” Sawyer said. “He always laughs and jokes with us and tells funny stories, but you can tell he’s really sharp.”
The connections and communication that Graham is fostering could be critical once the pads go on and things get real. Especially with this defense, players must believe in what the coordinator is teaching to buy into his philosophy.
For example, Watt admitted that in years past, he was “stubborn” and reluctant to move from his familiar position, where he rushes against the right tackle. Now, in the new system, Graham is asking Watt to move around more. Because the movement is built into the front structure, Watt has no choice.
“More than anything, he just has great energy, great love for football,” Watt said. “He’s wanting to break it down and make it make sense to you.”
The other reason communication is so critical is that it was an issue last year. Especially in a defense that wants to disguise coverages at a higher rate, it will be important to communicate checks and adjustments fluidly. In that way, Graham is asking everyone to speak one language using “Steelers terminology.” Even if they give the right answer in a meeting, it’s wrong if they don’t use the specific term the Steelers are using this year.
“When you’re trying to coordinate 11 players on the field, plus the seven to nine coaches that are on the sideline, communication has to be at the forefront,” Graham said. “It’s different than the offense. We’re trying to defend that space behind us. You’ve got to trust that I’m doing my job. You’ve got to trust that he’s doing his job. You’ve got to trust that you’re getting that information. The communication part, that’s what helps us play fast, efficiently and get to adjustments.”
The communication is also a two-way street. Heyward said that players encouraged Graham to shorten some of his play calls at times and the coordinator has been receptive to feedback. The fact that players are open to sharing constructive criticism shows that Graham’s process is working.
“I can’t wait to get to know them more,” Graham said. “And I can’t wait to get to know them more when adversity hits, because they’re when we’re going to find out who’s who and what’s what. And they’ll find out about me.”
