Pure Steel
First & 10 With Larry Foote
By Greg Washington

PSR Staff Writer Greg Washington chatted with Steelers linebacker Larry Foote after a mini-camp practice last month.

Obviously this off-season has been much different from the last, talk a little about this.

It has been real different from all my off-seasons since I've been in the NFL. I mean you know about Coach Cowher leaving, Coach Tomlin and all the new faces around here. We lost some guys and I'm just expected the unexpected right now. I'm a professional and a lot of guys have been through this situation before with other teams, but this is new for me and a lot of guys on the team.

How does it feel knowing that Dick Lebeau will still be running the defense?

It feels awesome - he makes our defense go. Everybody knows he is one of the greatest coordinators in the league and one of the greatest players to ever play in the league, so that's nothing but a bonus. Coach Tomlin did the right thing.

With Joey Porter now in a Miami Dolphin uniform, who do you expect to step up and fill the void both on the field and in the locker room?

I've been getting this question a lot, but I think everybody. Joey Porter was Joey - there's only one Joey Porter. Personality wise there is nobody that is just going to step into his shoes, but defensive planning wise, we know what Silverback [James Harrison] can do. We don't doubt him and everybody outside of this organization and locker room doesn't know yet, but this fall everyone will see. Collectively we all have to step up, I have to step up my leadership and everybody just has to step it up.

Where do you keep your Super Bowl ring?

In my jewelry box. I know it's not the manliest thing, but it's the truth.