(Photos by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The NFL announced its updated offseason workout dates today, and we now know when the Steelers rookies will arrive to Pittsburgh for rookie minicamp, along with the dates of OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
The Steelers rookie minicamp will be May 14-16 and OTAs start May 25 with three separate sessions -- May 25-27, June 1-3 and June 7-10. Mandatory minicamp will run from June 15-17.
In a statement released on behalf of the Steelers players last month, the players expressed they'll exercise their right to not participate in voluntary in-person activities for health and safety reasons.
Their statement read the following: “We should not be made to compromise our health and safety. With the current pandemic still affecting our communities and country, and the lack of clear protocols and protections regarding returning to work at full capacity, the players of the Pittsburgh Steelers have decided to exercise our right to not participate in voluntary in-person activities.
“A virtual offseason helped keep us safe to not only start, but finish the regular season as safely as possible and it makes no sense for us to risk infection or injury in the spring if we don’t have to.”
Along with Steelers players, a slew of other organizations' players have decided they won’t go to OTAs. Opting for it to be virtual like last year, as the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing.
The NFLPA has been pushing for an all-virtual offseason and urging players to boycott who didn’t agree to the new plan. But the NFL has the right to unilaterally implement rules as permitted under the CBA. Everything is voluntary prior to the mandatory minicamp.
It should be interesting to see how many Steelers players, especially the veterans, show up to OTAs when they begin on May 25.