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About an hour ago
When James Washington came to his second training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers, it did not take long to discover that Darryl Drake was not the only veteran trainer to do evidence of wisdom in his playroom.
Ray Sherman, who was the team's offensive coordinator in 1998, had returned to St. Vincent since the beginning of the camp, serving as a consultant for the offensive in general and wide receivers in particular.
Sherman, 67, had not coached the NFL since 2015, but Washington saw how Drake, 62, revered his eldest.
And so, when Drake died suddenly on August 11, it was only natural that the Steelers would turn to Sherman to help the large receivers through the difficult days that followed.
Although the Steelers did not officially nominate Drake's successor, Sherman continued to work with the big receivers when the pre-season was transferred from St. Vincent to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
"That's good because Coach Drake told us he would ask questions to (Sherman)," said Washington. "So that coach Drake tells us that this explains the type of guy who is the Sherman coach and the knowledge that he has and all he brings to the table as a coach. # 39; coach. "
Sherman began coaching in the NFL in 1988 – before the birth of all Steelers receivers – and worked in the league all seasons except one until his last season with the St. Louis Rams in 2015.
After this unfortunate year as Bill Cowher's offensive coordinator for the 7-9 Steelers, Sherman spent the 2000 season at the offensive coordination of the Minnesota Vikings before serving as a wide receiver coach with Green Bay (2000-04), in Tennessee (2005-2004). 06), Dallas (2007-10) and St. Louis (2012-15).
Jerry Rice, Drew Hill, Antonio Freeman, Donald Driver and Terrell Owens were among the receivers.
"Coach Ray is a great coach," said rookie Diontae Johnson. "He trained a lot of great receivers. He really knows the game. He knows what he's talking about. That's someone I can go to.
Steelers' coach, Mike Tomlin, has been slow to name a wide receiver coach out of respect for Drake, who was entering his second season with the team. When asked Wednesday how valuable it was for the Steelers to have Sherman among them, Tomlin would just tell him that everything had gone well.
Sherman is the most experienced candidate available to the Steelers. Blaine Stewart, a first-time NFL assistant coach, also worked closely with the receivers-general, as did his coaching intern, William Gay, the long-time supporter of the team working on his first staff in the NFL.
"This is the best opportunity to get him in and play that role for us," JuJu Smith-Schuster said. "Blaine did a good job too. It takes us all together.
Smith-Schuster said Sherman's presence around wide receivers had brought comfort since Drake's death.
"To survive this at a young age, 22, there are no words, no feelings to explain what we are going through," Smith-Schuster said. "It's difficult, but for Ray, he was retired and for him, doing everything possible to be here means a lot, not only to me, but to other people in our room.
"We do not want to change that."
Washington noted that Sherman preferred to stay in the background and observe Drake's teaching, but he was also willing to make suggestions to the recipients.
"He was following coach Drake a bit," he said. "There were times when he was giving us advice, too, just to take advantage of the things that coach Drake had said."
Drake began his positional meetings with a prayer, spread inspiring messages, and broadcast colorful sayings such as "Shut Out the Noise," which kept players from remembering the 2018 entertainment season.
Sherman took a more subdued approach in the days following Drake's death.
"He is still trying to fill his shoes and to inform himself of this offense," Washington said. "Later, I think things like that will happen."
Joe Rutter is an editor of Tribune-Review. You can contact Joe by email at [email protected] or via Twitter .
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