‘Young Pup’ Antoine Brooks fit in during NFL debut on defense for Steelers
One of Mike Tomlin’s favorite expressions is “two dogs, one bone.” He uses it in regards to creating a competitive environment on his team as players compete for playing time.
That certainly applies to Antoine Brooks. But the canine references don’t stop there for the rookie from Maryland.
“He calls me, ‘Young Pup,’ ” Brooks said of Tomlin. “That’s my nickname from him. I like it. I’m just a young dog growing, and I will soon be that grown-up dog he wants me to be.”
After nipping at the heels of playing time this season, this past Sunday the young pup sunk his teeth into his first steps on the road to being a regular on defense.
Before the Pittsburgh Steelers’ win against the Cincinnati Bengals, the entirety of Brooks’ experience was running down to cover five kickoffs. That changed significantly for the rookie sixth-round pick against the Bengals. He played almost half the Steelers’ defensive snaps as a major part of the gameplan.
“It felt good,” Brooks said during a video conference call with media Thursday. “I am out here working, working for where I want to be in life and in football.
“It felt amazing. When I first got out there, it felt really good and I felt like I really belong.”
Brooks certainly, at very least, did not look out of place during his 28 snaps Sunday. He had a solo tackle and an assist, and according to Pro Football Focus data allowed just two targeted throws and one reception for 5 yards among 21 snaps in coverage.
“He did pretty well,” defensive coordinator Keith Butler said. “He’s still a young guy learning, a rookie, and what I mean by that is not just the new language he’s got to learn and his role within the defense but also within the speed of the National Football League. That’s a lot different than college.”
The 5-foot-11, 210-pound Brooks was considered a safety when drafted out of Maryland, but his strength is an “in the box”-style player, which would lend itself to a hybrid linebacker.
According to PFF, though, the Steelers used Brooks in a variety of roles against the Bengals but mostly (19 snaps) as the slot cornerback.
Brooks’ debut on defense wasn’t perfect, but regardless of how it went it is not expected to reprise itself any time soon. Starting slot cornerback Mike Hilton is expected to return after a four-game absence to play against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Brooks said his practice reps this season mostly have been as the slot cornerback and at safety.
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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