Prioritizing player health over traditional grit, the Pittsburgh Steelers' new regime scraps live tackling drills at training camp, sparking debate over whether modern analytics can fix the team's defensive struggles.
New Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy will be concerned with implementing his offense during training camp this summer, but he had a hand in making a big decision for defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's squad.
When speaking to reporters on Wednesday, McCarthy revealed that unlike during the Mike Tomlin era, the Steelers will not have any live tackling during training camp in a bid to keep his players healthy.
“We won’t do live tackling,” McCarthy said, via Pro Football Talk. “No, I’ve done live tackling in the past. . . . Every drill’s been evaluated. There’s a GPS component behind everything that we do. You know, there’s more stress that we need to apply to our training situations than just going (on) the ground.
"The footwork’s the priority. It always will be about the feet and everything that we do whether tackling, blocking, you know, ball security, all those things. So the footwork component about it is important.”
McCarthy's decision irritated some of the Steelers fan base on social media, as the team likes to tout its overall toughness.
Still, it's not like the live tackling was a huge benefit to Pittsburgh in 2025, as the team finished with 126 missed tackles, the third most in the league.
McCarthy believes tackling drills can still help the defense, even if they're not live tackling during the team period.
“You have to assess stress in everything you do,” McCarthy said. “That’s (what) I look at as one of the primary responsibilities of being a head coach, and one of the primary focal points of being in charge of a training regimen for your football team. So tackling is a good way to go. I’ve done it.
"But I feel like, you know, we’ll be able to get it done in other ways of training, particularly in our tackling drills, in the team drills. So, injuries are part of the game, you know? And I think you’ve clearly got to do the best you can. And it’s a judgment. You try to reduce risk."
The Steelers will benefit by keeping their players as healthy and as fresh as possible during the regular season. Some of the younger players on the team, who need practice with live reps, will have a chance to tackle and be tackled during the preseason.
