Steelers announce 2017 offseason workout dates
The NFL released it’s full offseason workout calendar, including dates in which the Steelers will have an opportunity to workout their players. Per the NFL:
Voluntary offseason workout programs are intended to provide training, teaching and physical conditioning for players.
According to Article 21 of the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team’s official, voluntary nine-week offseason program is conducted in three phases:
- Phase One consists of the first two weeks of the program with activities limited to strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation only.
- Phase Two consists of the next three weeks of the program. On-field workouts may include individual player instruction and drills as well as team practice conducted on a “separates” basis. No live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills are permitted.
- Phase Three consists of the next four weeks of the program. Teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity, or “OTAs”. No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.
Article 22 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that clubs may hold one mandatory minicamp for veteran players. This minicamp must occur during Phase Three of the offseason program.
New head coaches are entitled to conduct an additional voluntary veteran minicamp. Voluntary minicamps for veteran players were conducted prior to the NFL Draft, but no earlier than week three of the club’s offseason workout program and after at least one week of the two weeks of Phase One activities that the clubs may hold pursuant to Article 21. This year, five clubs held voluntary veteran minicamps, as noted below.
Each club may hold a rookie football development program for a period of seven weeks, which in 2017 may begin on May 15. During this period, no activities may be held on weekends, with the exception of one post-NFL Draft rookie minicamp, which may be conducted on either the first or second weekend following the draft. The dates of each club’s post-draft rookie minicamps are noted below.
The NFL Offseason Workout Program calendar for the Pittsburgh Steelers is as follows (dates are tentative and subject to change):
- First Day: April 17
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-25, May 30-31, June 1, June 5-8
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 13-15
- Rookie Minicamp: May 12-14
Statistics and information courtesy the Pittsburgh Steelers and/or National Football League.
