Patience paying off
PITTSBURGH — NFL teams depend greatly on their No. 1 draft picks. Players such as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was the Steelers' top pick in 2004, are counted upon to make a big impact, so they get plenty of chances to prove themselves.
Undrafted players have a much steeper hill to climb as they try to make a team. They must make the most of the limited opportunities they get because the next one could be the last.
Steelers wide receiver Nate Washington took that advice to heart during Saturday's 17-10 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Heinz Field.
The second-year wideout from Tiffin (Ohio) University, who started for the injured Hines Ward, caught three passes for 53 yards, including two receptions for 20 yards each. He also picked up 20 yards on a nifty first-quarter reverse that put the Steelers in business at the Vikings' 35-yard line on their way to their only touchdown of the game.
When asked which he enjoyed more, the 20-yard receptions or the 20-yard run, Washington laughed and said, "Probably the 20-yard passes because I thought I could have got a little bit more on the run, and I'm disappointed in myself. But it all worked out for me."
Washington, who holds eight Tiffin receiving records and was an all-state honorable mention at Scott High in Toledo, Ohio, made the Steelers' roster as a free agent for the 2005 season, but he was inactive for the opener against Tennessee.
The Steelers then released Washington and signed him to the practice squad. Washington dressed for the New England game Sept. 25, but didn't play. He was inactive for the San Diego game Oct. 10 before playing without making a catch the following week against Jacksonville.
He was inactive for the remainder of the regular season and might have retained that status throughout the Steelers' run to the Super Bowl championship if Quincy Morgan hadn't injured his right ankle on a kick return in Pittsburgh's AFC Wild Card victory in Cincinnati.
Washington played in the win over Indianapolis the following week, but didn't make a catch.
It took a while, but the 6-foot-1, 185-pound receiver receiver finally got his first NFL reception at Denver in the AFC Championship Game – and the 13-yard catch came in a crucial third-down situation that helped the Steelers beat the Broncos and make it to the Super Bowl.
With a year under his belt and nearly a full half of playing time Saturday, Washington said it's all starting to fall into place for him.
"I'm just trying to get comfortable with the defenses and running our offense," he said. "It's been slowing down for me just a little bit. I'm just trying to take it one day at a time."
For many fans, including the thousands who left Heinz Field after the first half, preseason games are just something to be tolerated until the regular season starts.
For players like Washington, they are a chance to show their coaches that they have what it takes to make the team – and to make a significant contribution.
And that's all they ask for.
"It feels good," Washington said about his effort "I've got a lot of confidence in myself, and to get the kind of time I've been getting and the opportunities that I'm getting, it's been looking good for me so far. I'm just trying to keep a stable head and do the things that I have to do to get better."
