Mike Tomlin’s 19-year streak of never suffering a losing season defines his legacy – but this summer, that record feels shakier than ever. Even with new stars like Aaron Rodgers and Jalen Ramsey shaking up the AFC North, Tomlin insists he’s not sweating history. “It doesn’t mean a lot as I sit here today,” he told Kyle Brandt, laser-focused on molding this year’s squad. And if Sunday’s practice was any indication, that work is already underway. Especially with Tomlin hyping battles like “Kenny G versus Payton Wilson in routes.”

But behind the coach’s usual cool, something’s brewing in Latrobe. The offense and defense are already clashing, the pads haven’t even come on yet, and one Steelers star just pulled back the curtain on why tensions are boiling over. Enter second-year tackle Troy Fautanu – who’s not mincing words about why tempers are flaring before pads even come on. “You know, there’s a lot of banter going on between the offense and defense right now,” he admitted after Sunday’s session. “As you guys could tell yesterday, things got a little rowdy.”

For Fautanu, this fire isn’t just normal camp competition – it’s personal. After missing nearly all of his rookie year with a knee injury, Tuesday’s padded practice will be his first real football in almost 12 months. And the guy waiting for him? None other than TJ Watt, who’s about to test him on every snap. “I’m super excited to finally play real football,” Fautanu said, “because as an offensive lineman, it’s the worst thing to play in shorts and t-shirts.”

Here’s the real spark behind the beef: Pittsburgh’s offense and defense are tired of pretending. Without pads, linemen can’t block properly, edge rushers can’t finish plays, and everyone’s left simmering. Fautanu’s not just itching to hit someone. He’s craving the chance to prove he can handle Watt’s bull-rushes and spin moves daily. “That’s something that’s normal,” he shrugged about the clashes, but his tone said more. For a first-round pick with everything to prove, these skirmishes aren’t just camp drama – they’re his proving ground.

But just as these simmering rivalries hit their peak, Mother Nature decided to call the shots. And even Mike Tomlin had to listen.

Mike Tomlin forced to call an audible

Mike Tomlin had just orchestrated the perfect do-over. Aaron Rodgers firing a bullet to Pat Freiermuth to steal a 4-3 “7-Shots” win for the offense – when the skies over Saint Vincent College decided to rewrite the script. One minute, Pittsburgh’s starters were reveling in that razor-sharp touchdown drive; the next, equipment managers were herding players toward the locker rooms as lightning flashed in the distance. “Unfortunately, we got cut short today,” Tomlin later told reporters, his tone mixing frustration with pragmatism. “Really wanted to work to get the group back out. But we didn’t deem it safe enough based on the Doppler information.”

The abrupt ending robbed fans of seeing more fireworks from Rodgers, who’d already silenced doubters after his Day 1 interception. During pressure drills, he’d contorted his arm like a veteran shortstop – flipping a screen to DK Metcalf through traffic, then lofting a perfect dump-off to Kaleb Johnson. 

Even the botched snap in ‘7-Shots’ became a teachable moment when Tomlin demanded a sudden-death redo. “I thought practice was off to a really good start, infusing some more components of competition,” the coach admitted. But here’s what stung: Pittsburgh’s staff had planned this as the day to ramp up physicality.

After Fautanu and the linemen spent days simmering in shorts, they were finally about to unleash. Until Mother Nature blew the whistle early. Now, those pent-up collisions will wait, leaving the Steelers to channel that energy into Tuesday’s padded practice.