I feel for the young guy. Hope he makes the squad.
Gorman: Steelers' Keion Adams works through deaths in 1st camp
KEVIN GORMAN
The phone call awakened Keion Adams from a deep sleep in his Rooney Hall dorm room early Saturday morning at St. Vincent.
The Steelers' rookie outside linebacker could describe the news he received only as “devastating.”
Adams lost his cousin, Anthony Gill, 22, and best friend, Da'Quan Robertson, 23, who were shot and killed in his hometown of Salisbury, N.C.
“You never really want to get a phone call like that at all,” said Adams, a seventh-round draft pick from Western Michigan. “It's tough. It's hard. I just keep my faith in God to do the best I can.”
Adams is persevering through his personal pain by continuing to compete at training camp, thanks to the help of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, player engagement coordinator Terry Cousin, team chaplain Chad Johnson and his Steelers teammates.
“We tell him that he can lean on us,” Steelers veteran outside linebacker Arthur Moats said. “When he first found out, we were there for him. It was an extremely emotional moment for him, but you had to help him understand that everybody has outside situations — some more serious than others — but we all have to come together and lean on each other.
“That's the beauty of the brotherhood.”
That brotherhood is helping Adams cope with the loss of a cousin and a friend who was like family.
Gill was a high school football and basketball teammate, Robertson a middle-school football teammate. Both were shot when a late-night argument escalated into gunfire, with Robertson found in front of a church and Gill passing at a hospital.
Although two gang members were arrested Tuesday, Salisbury police said the shooting wasn't gang-related.
“It's an unfortunate series of events that took place,” Adams said. “I hate that it had to end up the way it did.”
While Steelers stars like Antonio Brown and Cameron Heyward were excused from practice Wednesday to celebrate the birth of their children, Adams knows he can't afford to miss anything if he wants to make the team.
“I've got a job to do,” Adams said. “I know I can grieve but, at the end of the day, I've got to be a man and come out here and do what I've got to do. ... It's going to be difficult. I would hate to see them like that. But their families understand what I'm doing. They would want me to be here, following my dream.”
The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Adams knows he has to overcome the odds to make the Steelers. He is playing right outside linebacker, where he's behind James Harrison, first-rounder T.J. Watt and Anthony Chickillo.
That's why Adams has chosen to stay at camp at St. Vincent, even though he will miss the funeral services for Gill and Robertson.
“Everyone understands what is happening,” Adams said, “and they want me up here, following my dreams and doing what I've got to do to take care of my business.”
That Adams is doing so despite the difficult circumstances has made an impression on his teammates, especially at his position.
“It's extremely hard, but that's a true testament to his character,” Moats said. “If he would have left, we would understand that. To have that happen to you right at the beginning of camp, it's tough. For him to come out here and practice the way he's practicing, it's a true testament to his character and how much he really wants this — and we're all behind him for it.”
One of the most supportive players, Adams said, has been second-year defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, a fellow Salisbury native.
Word of the deaths of Gill and Robertson also hit Hargrave hard, as he knew both of the victims and how much they meant to Adams.
“I know it's a tough situation, so I just help him as much as I can,” Hargrave said. “It's a tough situation because you're trying to be focused on football and something tragic like that happens, it can make you lose focus. That's what I've been telling him: stay focused. I'm praying for him, and that's all you can do.”
That's what Adams is trying to do, in between team meetings and walk-throughs and practices. He tweeted July 29 that he would “do anything” to have Gill and Robertson back, that they “didn't deserve death this early” and that his season would be dedicated to honoring their memories.
“It's a part of life. You never really know when it's going to come and when it hits you, you never expect it,” Adams said. “Just being here, around this great organization and these guys is keeping me uplifted. It's easier to push through and get through the days.
“I've got family and friends back home that are suffering and don't have the support system that I do. I'm trying to feed off of being here and give that energy back to them.”
Adams knows the best way is with his play.
http://triblive.com/sports/kevingor...-keion-adams-works-through-deaths-in-1st-camp
Gorman: Steelers' Keion Adams works through deaths in 1st camp
KEVIN GORMAN
The phone call awakened Keion Adams from a deep sleep in his Rooney Hall dorm room early Saturday morning at St. Vincent.
The Steelers' rookie outside linebacker could describe the news he received only as “devastating.”
Adams lost his cousin, Anthony Gill, 22, and best friend, Da'Quan Robertson, 23, who were shot and killed in his hometown of Salisbury, N.C.
“You never really want to get a phone call like that at all,” said Adams, a seventh-round draft pick from Western Michigan. “It's tough. It's hard. I just keep my faith in God to do the best I can.”
Adams is persevering through his personal pain by continuing to compete at training camp, thanks to the help of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, player engagement coordinator Terry Cousin, team chaplain Chad Johnson and his Steelers teammates.
“We tell him that he can lean on us,” Steelers veteran outside linebacker Arthur Moats said. “When he first found out, we were there for him. It was an extremely emotional moment for him, but you had to help him understand that everybody has outside situations — some more serious than others — but we all have to come together and lean on each other.
“That's the beauty of the brotherhood.”
That brotherhood is helping Adams cope with the loss of a cousin and a friend who was like family.
Gill was a high school football and basketball teammate, Robertson a middle-school football teammate. Both were shot when a late-night argument escalated into gunfire, with Robertson found in front of a church and Gill passing at a hospital.
Although two gang members were arrested Tuesday, Salisbury police said the shooting wasn't gang-related.
“It's an unfortunate series of events that took place,” Adams said. “I hate that it had to end up the way it did.”
While Steelers stars like Antonio Brown and Cameron Heyward were excused from practice Wednesday to celebrate the birth of their children, Adams knows he can't afford to miss anything if he wants to make the team.
“I've got a job to do,” Adams said. “I know I can grieve but, at the end of the day, I've got to be a man and come out here and do what I've got to do. ... It's going to be difficult. I would hate to see them like that. But their families understand what I'm doing. They would want me to be here, following my dream.”
The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Adams knows he has to overcome the odds to make the Steelers. He is playing right outside linebacker, where he's behind James Harrison, first-rounder T.J. Watt and Anthony Chickillo.
That's why Adams has chosen to stay at camp at St. Vincent, even though he will miss the funeral services for Gill and Robertson.
“Everyone understands what is happening,” Adams said, “and they want me up here, following my dreams and doing what I've got to do to take care of my business.”
That Adams is doing so despite the difficult circumstances has made an impression on his teammates, especially at his position.
“It's extremely hard, but that's a true testament to his character,” Moats said. “If he would have left, we would understand that. To have that happen to you right at the beginning of camp, it's tough. For him to come out here and practice the way he's practicing, it's a true testament to his character and how much he really wants this — and we're all behind him for it.”
One of the most supportive players, Adams said, has been second-year defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, a fellow Salisbury native.
Word of the deaths of Gill and Robertson also hit Hargrave hard, as he knew both of the victims and how much they meant to Adams.
“I know it's a tough situation, so I just help him as much as I can,” Hargrave said. “It's a tough situation because you're trying to be focused on football and something tragic like that happens, it can make you lose focus. That's what I've been telling him: stay focused. I'm praying for him, and that's all you can do.”
That's what Adams is trying to do, in between team meetings and walk-throughs and practices. He tweeted July 29 that he would “do anything” to have Gill and Robertson back, that they “didn't deserve death this early” and that his season would be dedicated to honoring their memories.
“It's a part of life. You never really know when it's going to come and when it hits you, you never expect it,” Adams said. “Just being here, around this great organization and these guys is keeping me uplifted. It's easier to push through and get through the days.
“I've got family and friends back home that are suffering and don't have the support system that I do. I'm trying to feed off of being here and give that energy back to them.”
Adams knows the best way is with his play.
http://triblive.com/sports/kevingor...-keion-adams-works-through-deaths-in-1st-camp
