In his element perhaps like nowhere else, Mike Tomlin beamed in signaling the start of one of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp’s highlights: “Backs on backers.”

“Chico!” Tomlin screamed from the middle of a gathering in the northwest corner of the Heinz Field playing surface early Wednesday afternoon. “Let’s go!”

“Chico” is the nickname for fourth-year inside linebacker Marcus Allen, whose rep against star rookie running back Najee Harris got backs on backers underway.

Allen beat Harris relatively cleanly in the drill that simulates a blitzing linebacker against a pass-protecting running back. Tomlin had the duo run it back, and Allen won again.

General manager Kevin Colbert watched on from behind and joked with Allen while smiling broadly after the second rep.

While many of the fans who were on hand Wednesday were more closely paying attention to a passing drill that involved one-on-one play between receivers and defensive backs — it was staged in much better view of fans, who were clustered on the east side of the stadium seating — it was backs on backers that more captivated players, coaches and media.

The drills also match up tight ends against edge rushers. With T.J. Watt still sitting out most team work as he ramps himself up for participation, that left veteran newcomer Melvin Ingram and new starter Alex Highsmith as the competition for a tight end corps that just Tuesday spoke at length about wanting to be better blockers this year. The initial results weren’t great for the tight ends, albeit that is to be expected in what is something of a mismatch on paper. Ingram beat Eric Ebron twice, although the second rep Ebron nearly pushed him to a draw. Rookie Pat Freiermuth was beaten twice by Highsmith, who later on edged Ebron with a spin move. Tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts barked words of encouragement afterward. Running back Anthony McFarland fought gallantly but lost two consecutive reps to outside linebacker Cassius Marsh. Kalen Ballage had the most success blocking among the running backs, although Trey Edmunds had some strong reps, too. Fullback Derek Watt at one point was bullrushed by Tegray Scales. Harris got better as the drill went on, which is good because the Steelers are aiming for the first-round pick to be a three-down back (for which pass protection is imperative). Harris played a starring role on the final snap after Edmunds and Allen had gone back-to-back, building drama between offensive and defensive captains Ben Roethlisberger and Cameron Heyward. Harris vs. Robert Spillane was chosen as a de facto winner-take-all finale. Harris held off the starting inside linebacker, eliciting a celebratory cheer and running chest bump from Roethlisberger, who proudly patted all the running backs on the head as if to offer congratulations. Harris took what was the first, pads-on, 11-on-11 snap of the 2021 season and gained several yards over the left side, eliciting a loud cheer from fans on hand who, perhaps, are wary of the running game following a last-in-the-NFL finish with it in 2020. Tight end Zach Gentry was one of the stars of 11-on-11 play, twice making long catches on balls thrown by Dwayne Haskins in some Ohio State-to-Michigan magic. The first such play was more than 25 yards downfield on the right sideline, a ball delivered on target while Haskins was on the run. The popular “Seven Shots” 2-point conversion simulation that traditionally starts practice featured as many as six scored by the offense among the seven snaps, albeit two come with an asterisk because Allen almost surely would have sacked Mason Rudolph before he flipped a “touchdown” pass to Ballage, and a catch by Tyler Simmons in the corner of the end zone was ruled out of bounds by a few onlookers nearby. The Simmons catch was on a ball thrown by Haskins, and the catch was made over DeMarkus Acy. The lone assured defensive Seven Shots win was on the first snap: a Roethlisberger fade to Chase Claypool was knocked out of his hands by Cameron Sutton on the left side. Harris — lined up wide — beat Devin Bush on a Roethlisberger pass to the goal line on Snap No. 2, and Benny Snell scored on a draw play on the third snap. The fourth snap was a completion from Rudolph to Isaiah McKoy, who fought off Antoine Brooks to hold on at the goal line.

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