Catching passes or making tackles, Steelers' Chase Claypool likes to go deep

Contrary to what showed up in the game summary Sunday, Chase Claypool’s 84-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter wasn’t the first long-distance play the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver made in a 26-21 victory against the Denver Broncos.

It certainly was the most impactful. It definitely was the most exciting.

It just wasn’t the first time Claypool ran the length of the field to make a play.

That came on the opening kickoff when Claypool stopped Diontae Spencer at the Denver 20 after a 16-yard return.

It was one of three plays Claypool made on special teams — one solo tackle, two assists — in addition to his three receptions for 88 yards that included the fourth-longest touchdown catch by a rookie in franchise history.

“He’s not just a one-trick pony,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “He’s working to round out all aspects of his game and contribute to us in as many ways as he can.”

When the Steelers selected Claypool in the second round of the draft, they knew they were getting a 6-foot-4, 238-pound receiver from Notre Dame who had the size to outmuscle cornerbacks for the ball and the requisite 4.42 speed to stretch defenses.

At the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., in January, Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert saw the other attributes in Claypool’s game that caught their attention.

“We were just really impressed with him as a football player no matter what was going on down there,” Tomlin said, “whether it was special teams drills and he was playing gunner or stalk-blocking drills when they are competing against defense backs.

“He showed the type of football character that we covet, a guy that is competitor in all circumstances.”

Without the benefit of an offseason workout program or a four-game preseason schedule, the Steelers decided to integrate Claypool slowly into their wide receiver rotation while allowing him to make plays on special teams coverage units as he grasps the playbook.

Based on Claypool’s work in the first two games, he has proven to be a quick study.

“It was super helpful we were able to get the playbook in the virtual minicamp,” said Claypool, who lives in British Columbia. “I would get the plays and run through them on the field with my coaches back home, and that would help me visualize things.”

In the season opener against the New York Giants, Claypool played 19 snaps on offense and caught both of his targets for 39 yards. His toe-tapping 28-yard catch along the sideline in the first quarter helped set up a Chris Boswell field goal that tied the score 3-3 in an eventual 26-16 win.

Claypool said he has practiced such difficult catches since high school.

“Having a toe on the sideline or not on the sideline can change the outcome of a game,” he said. “So I know how important it is. I’ve been working on it quite a bit, and it’s become natural for me.”

Claypool’s playing time increased to 24 snaps on offense against the Broncos. He also played 14 snaps on special teams for the second game in a row.

The Steelers had just watched Diontae Johnson’s 81-yard punt return for a touchdown get negated by a block-in-the-back penalty when Claypool took the field with 6 minutes, 34 seconds left in the first half and the Steelers holding a 7-3 lead.

Rookie cornerback Michael Ojemudia pressed toward the line of scrimmage to defend Claypool along the left sideline. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger saw the perceived mismatch and unleashed a throw that Claypool caught near the Broncos 45 with Ojemudia trailing in coverage.

“I just kind of threw it far and high and let Chase run under it,” Roethlisberger said. “He really did all the work.”

When he saw Ojemudia inching toward the line of scrimmage, Claypool had an idea Roethlisberger might be coming his way.

“I knew for most of the game, the DBs were backed up and if that was the case, I wouldn’t have gotten the ball,” Claypool said.

Claypool wasn’t called on again until the first two plays of the fourth quarter when his other two receptions covered 8 and minus-4 yards. The rest of his work, of course, came on special teams.

“Coaches are doing a really good job of easing me into games,” Claypool said. “They haven’t thrown me into the fire and they aren’t asking too much, and to make a play here and there is something I can do. As the season progresses, I plan on playing more and contributing more.”