Xavier Grimble refuses to let costly fumble 'define' him heading into 2019

For the second year in a row, a backup Pittsburgh Steelers tight end will try to enter a season looking to put a controversial play in the rear-view mirror.

In 2018, it was Jesse James bouncing back from perhaps the most scrutinized NFL play of the previous season, the infamous survive-the-ground non-catch against the New England Patriots.

This year, it’s Xavier Grimble’s turn to show whether he can rebound from adversity. Although his fumble through the end zone in Denver last season didn’t merit the national coverage the James play did, Grimble’s gaffe was costly in its own right. It denied the Steelers a touchdown in a seven-point loss against the Broncos, the first of four defeats in a five-game stretch that put the Steelers on the outside of the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

Grimble, 26, already has turned the page, and he’s hoping Steeler Nation can follow suit.

“People bring it up, but one (potential) touchdown doesn’t define my whole career,” Grimble said after a recent practice. “It happens. Just own the situation and move on from it and make more plays.”

Playing behind Vance McDonald and James, Grimble didn’t get a chance to make many plays in 2018 as he caught just six passes for 86 yards. He didn’t score a touchdown, his best chance coming on the first play of the second quarter in that Week 12 game against the Broncos.

Trailing 3-0, the Steelers were 24 yards from the end zone when Grimble took a play-action pass from Ben Roethlisberger that caught the Broncos off guard. Grimble headed toward the left pylon with only safety Will Parks in pursuit. Running from the right and across the goal, Parks converged with Grimble inside the 1. In the collision, the ball became dislodged and rolled through the corner of the end zone for a touchback that gave Denver possession.

Grimble admitted after the game he was too aggressive on the play and “wanted to run right through” Parks instead of avoiding contact on his way to the end zone.

He said teammates rallied to his defense, but the show of support wasn’t necessary.

“They know I’m good,” he said. “I know it looks crazy from the field, and watching on TV, it (stinks), but at the end of the day, it’s a game. I’ve been playing it my whole life. I’ve made a lot of good plays. It just happened to be a bad one. It’s OK, I’ll move on from it and make more good ones.”

With James departing to the Detroit Lions in free agency, Grimble is next in line to assume the role as McDonald’s top backup. The 6-foot-4, 261-pound Grimble entered the offseason as a restricted free agent, and the Steelers offered a $2.025 million tender the tight end signed. Grimble is entering his fifth season with the organization, and he’s the only remaining link at his position to the Heath Miller era.

His competition this offseason is rookie fifth-rounder Zach Gentry, first-year player Kevin Rader of Youngstown State and undrafted free agent Trevor Wood, who doubles as a long snapper. Unless the Steelers sign a veteran after final roster cuts in the summer, the backup job appears to be Grimble’s to lose.

“X has been asked to do that (backup) role and step in whenever there have been injuries or whatever it is,” McDonald said. “He has had a solid No. 2 spot for years and then there also are years he’s been a solid No. 3, so I think he’s well experienced enough to be able to handle it.”

Grimble is hoping to get an expanded role in the Steelers offense after playing about 15% of the snaps in each of the past two seasons.

“When you have three guys, some start and the rest of us fill in,” Grimble said. “When it’s your time to go, you’ve got to produce and play. You’ve got to stay ready.”

Grimble did his part in the offseason by working out religiously at his offseason home in Las Vegas before reporting for team conditioning workouts in April. Grimble also has worked on his blocking as a way to ensure he can get more snaps this season.

“Playing tight end for the Steelers, you’ve got to be well-rounded,” he said. “You’ve got to block, you’ve got to run routes — just like Heath did back in the day. We still carry that kind of classic tight end. You’ve got to be a jack-of-all-trades. You’ve got to do everything, and that’s what I do. I try to be well-rounded.”