Tomlin is all smiles watching Kwon Alexander return to form

Published August 17th, 1:27 EDT
by Bo Marchionte

Latrobe, PA – In a short amount of time newly acquired Kwon Alexander has been a camp sensation since signing with his fourth team in four years.

“I feel legendary man, just happy to be here,” Alexander said. “Glad to be part of this organization. Happy to be among all these players and Coach T (Mike Tomlin). He brings a fire to me anyways. So, it just keeps me going. I’m just happy to be playing ball for real.”

During the Seven Shots session, Alexander was with the first-team defense at inside linebacker. The ball was snapped, and Alexander sliced through the line of scrimmage and forcefully laid to rest 6-foot-1 and 242-pound Najee Harris to the ground.

It was one of several highlight types of players that Alexander has made a habit of since coming aboard the Steelers roster on the 30th of July. His performance and ability to play and react quicker than most others on the field is something hard to not notice. His habit of stacking plays is becoming routine. 

“He’s decisive,” Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said to the media at training camp. “I think he brings some suddenness and some spunk to that room.”

Alexander earned Pro Bowl honors in 2017 and was on the trajectory to becoming a standard barrier at the position. Six games into the next season (2018), he suffered a season-ending ACL and has bounced around the league aiming to rekindle the superb form prior to the injury.

“I feel legendary,” Alexander said again. “I’m just out here running around and feel young. That’s all I can say for real.”

Later in the practice, Alexander was in individual one-on-one drills and broke on the ball and deflected the ball out of the hands of running back Anthony McFarland who himself has been one of the brightest stars in camp.

Alexander keeps coming up big. The residue of his Pro Bowl abilities is resonating each day in practice. With practice commencing today, Alexander appears to be on the verge of pushing free agent additions Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts for significant reps. It’s his big play and energy that is a rallying force.

“So far what he’s done here has been pretty encouraging,” Austin said.

Pittsburgh’s only returning inside linebacker from last season is second-year man Mark Robinson. The team is excited about him, but the current group of veterans bring a facelift to the position. That spark Devin Bush never provided the exact ingredients needed to add some spice to the defense.

Roberts is a bone crushing force. Robinson is just as eager but inexperienced and then Alexander’s attitude ramifies how tenacious this linebacking unit can become. This isn’t to say Holcomb isn’t a stud, but the other mentioned in this paragraph plays with that swagger that simply intimidates.

“Yeah, he is. He is an aggressive player,” Austin said. He is quick. He is quick to key and trigger. That’s a good thing.”

The reshuffling of this unit over the course of one season can very well be one of the most improved and fun units to watch this season for Pittsburgh. 

Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com