Ready for his shot: Steven Sims laughed as he stood in the Steelers locker room, surrounded by media at his locker before moving in front of a Steelers backdrop that is normally used for the biggest interviews of the day because of the onslaught of cameras and attention.
“I’ve never been in front of this before,” laughed Sims.
Well, there was a reason.
Following the trade of receiver Chase Claypool, who spent time working in the slot, Sims is one of the players now in the spotlight for the passing game and that meant the bright lights were on him.
“I started playing in the slot when I got into the league,” said Sims. “I have been playing there ever since, bouncing inside and out. I can do both.”
Coach Mike Tomlin expressed his confidence in the depth at wide receiver after trading Claypool to the Chicago Bears for a second-round pick. It’s something Sims likes to hear but knows it’s not just about him.
“They trust everybody in the room,” said Sims. “There are a couple of us that play in the slot, me and Gunner (Olszewski), so we’re kind of give a different style, both of us. I guess they trust in that, the different versatility we bring in the slot.”
Sims said his role was not defined on Monday yet, as it was a bonus day of practice coming off the bye weekend. But he is happy to accept whatever role is given to him and embraces the challenge.
“I see myself getting in there, running more routes than I have been running, doing gadget things, motion and that, jet sweeps,” said Sims. “Just looking to build on that.
“I have done everything they ask me to do. When I get in, I make explosive plays. I guess they like that.
“Everything is the same for me. I am getting a bigger role, more opportunities to help the team win. That is all I can ask for, more opportunities. I have to capitalize on those opportunities.”
Sims is more of a prototype slot receiver at 5-10, compared to Claypool who is 6-4. But recently bigger players have been used in the slot throughout the NFL.
“It’s obvious Chase is a big body, I am not,” said Sims. “We bring different elements to the game. I am quicker than fast. We are just different.
“I guess that is the coaches. They like big guys. It was always like that when I was younger. You are always going to pick the bigger guys before me, thinking the bigger guy is better than me. Time will tell.”
And for Sims, time has told the story. He has gone from a kid who was told he didn’t have a shot, to not getting a lot of attention from colleges, to going undrafted and working his way from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.
“I remember my middle school coach telling me I wouldn’t be anything,” said Sims. “It’s just my journey. Since I was a young guy, I was always an underdog story. That’s just my nature to work. Wait my turn. It’s normal to me. Always being counted out. Underdog, small guy. I just work.
“I put in the work like everybody else. I work hard, grind hard. I go every rep full speed, every rep likes it’s a game rep, every practice likes it’s a game. It just elevated my game as I grew in the league and got me to the point where I am now.”
