A couple stories on a few Pitt players in the NFL.
Larry Fitzgerald wants to get better on and off the field.
What’s really important to him, Fitzgerald said, is to remain low key and humble. He said he doesn’t go out much, and instead, he devotes time to some eclectic interests.
Last year, for instance, he hired someone to come to his home and teach him how to cook. He’s dabbling in real estate, and he intends to take some Spanish classes this year.
“It’s important to be well-rounded,” he said. “Football players get this stereotype that we’re just dumb jocks and that all we can do is run and stuff like that. I just try to change the mold up. There are a lot of things that interest me besides football, but this is what I love to do, and, hopefully, I can do it for a long time.”
Fitzgerald’s parents, Carol and Larry Sr., emphasized the importance of education and developing varied interests, he said. Fitzgerald’s grandfather called him recently to remind Fitzgerald that his younger brother, Marcus, is due to graduate from Marshall this year, and that a cousin also is graduating from college.
“He (his grandfather) is like, ‘You know, you’re the only one in the family who hasn’t gotten a degree,’ ” said Fitzgerald, who plans to tackle that in the coming years.
Fitzgerald has grown up on the field, too. Coaches said his practice habits are improved. He constantly asks receivers coach Mike Wilson, a former San Francisco 49er, how future Hall of Famer Jerry Rice did certain things.
Hopefully Pitt will make sure to do what it can to maintain ties to Fitzgerald.
Another great Pitt receiver is taking it out on a former Pitt cornerback in training camp practices.
Bryant had the cart flying Friday morning. He took off down the right sideline and was well covered by left cornerback Shawntae Spencer. In a sucker move by the more experienced wideout, Bryant slowed to a jog to dupe Spencer into thinking the ball was coming, then sped up to catch it in a laid-out position.
“Coming off the field, me and Antonio were talking about the deep ball,” Spencer said of the first highlight pass. “I had him covered and he slowed down and started jogging. I looked for the ball. He took off and the quarterback threw it. He said ‘You had me covered. All I could do is make you think it was thrown.’ ”
Darned if Smith and Bryant didn’t do it again in the afternoon practice. This time, Smith found Bryant down the middle for what turned out to be an 85-yard touchdown romp in which the ball was in the air about 45 yards. Spencer was again the victim in coverage.
While developing chemistry with Smith is important — vital, even — Bryant said he is also trying to make his teammates in the secondary better, in this case by schooling one of them. Spencer should have known better, since both men were college teammates at Pitt for a time.
“He’s a scrappy guy,” Bryant said of Spencer. “I like going up against him. He gives it 100 percent. He never gives up on a play. Shawntae is going to face a lot of talented receivers this year. I’m doing my best to be there for Alex and help our DBs look good. It’s all about team.”
Spencer is being moved to left corner this year.
