Darnell Wright Building Relationship with Steelers HC Mike Tomlin at Senior Bowl

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is taking an interest in one of the top offensive linemen at the Senior Bowl.
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MOBILE -- Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has been following the linemen all week and one player in particular has caught his eye. Former Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright has gotten close with Tomlin during his time at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. 

“He’s been funny. He’s been over there joking around," Wright said. "We’ve been talking a couple of times each day. He likes rolling with the big dogs.”

Even though Tomlin has kept things light-hearted while watching the linemen, he's still taken time to help Wright improve his game. He spent his playing days as a receiver and was a defensive backs coach when working his way up through the NFL, but Wright has been impressed with Tomlin's knowledge of how to play the line. 

“He has little pointers and he has good things to say," Wright. "You can tell he knows line play, so I’m definitely listening to what he’s saying and doing my thing.”

Wright is trying to absorb all that knowledge as quickly as possible. He has a chance to land among the top tier of offensive linemen when the draft rolls around in a couple of months but he still wants to continue adding little bits and pieces to his skill set. Being around this much talent - from the players to the coaches and scouts in attendance - allows him to borrow from others who have been there and done that. 

“I’m just learning that there’s always another level to a move, there’s always another level to my game. I can always add something to it and that’s really all I’m trying to do. I’m working with guys who have been in the NFL and been around the best guys. If they’re telling me something, I’m just stealing information. I’m taking a big information pool and just trying to put as much into my game as possible.”

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper. He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press. During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.