Steelers DC Patrick Graham Felt Like a Player Again originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham had more than football on his mind while preparing for Pittsburgh’s Week 5 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
As Graham prepared for Sunday’s game, he found himself thinking about what it would be like to call plays from the sideline.
Steelers DC Patrick Graham said he got excited about calling plays from the sideline while watching college football on Saturday night. “You start to feel it, like, ‘oh, I’m gonna be on the field.’ That’s the fun part about it. That’s probably why we all keep chasing these jobs as we get older.” “I started getting excited, almost like when I played.”
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“It was funny. I was watching college football Saturday night while I was doing my prep for the games and stuff and then, you know, you start to feel it like, oh, I’m going to be on the field,” Graham said. “That’s the fun part about it. That’s probably why we all keep chasing these jobs as we get older.”
Graham joked that retirement might be a few years away, but the anticipation of being on the field gave him something to look forward to as game day approached.
The experience also brought back memories of his playing career, even though Graham said he played sparingly.
“I started getting excited, almost like when I played,” Graham said.
For Graham, calling plays from the sideline offered a different game-day perspective without changing his responsibilities as Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinator. His reaction showed that the excitement of being close to the action can still resonate with a veteran coach.