PITTSBURGH —Instead of being in Minnesota around his wife and three children — all under the age of 10 — new Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Adam Thielen is in a different time zone. His daily routine has been flipped on its head, but, for now, he's zeroed in on getting on the field at his new stop.
"I'm here to play football, and I'm gonna find a way," Thielen said Friday.
The Steelers claimed Thielen, a 12-year NFL veteran, off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday. He spent time with Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard and a few other teammates after practice on Thursday, getting additional mental reps.
"I've never experienced anything like this," Thielen said. "It's been a whirlwind, for sure. … I love football, so to learn a new system, it's really challenging, especially in a short few days. It's a lot of hard work, but it's really fun, exciting and it kinda gets the love of the game back. I'm like, 'Oh, man, I love competing and practicing and learning new concepts and learning how a quarterback thinks about things.'"
Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Adam Thielen takes part in the team's practice on Wednesday. Ed Thompson/Steelers Now
Away from practice, Thielen is currently staying in a nearby hotel, far from the comforts of home.
"When you're claimed or traded, they have to put you in for so many days," Thielen said. "They've been great here, just accommodating to that. And then trying to figure out a place for my family when they come here for a few weeks. The kids are in school, so they won't be here until Christmas break, but once they get here, I'll try to find a place just for a couple weeks.
"(I'm) spending a lot of time at the facility. I haven't even barely been at the hotel. Today, I'll enjoy a little bit of time there and be able to rest a bit."
Thielen credited his wife, Caitlin, for keeping everything together at home and supporting him in the way that she has. His sons are old enough to understand why their father is away.
"They're super excited to see that game this weekend, the rivalry, and they've been watching a bunch of videos of (the) Steelers and what they're all about," Thielen said.
Through 11 games this season, all with the Minnesota Vikings, Thielen has eight receptions for 69 yards.
"The situation that they're in — that we're in — and just the opportunity to come and make an impact," Thielen said of why the Steelers appealed to him on Thursday. "At this point, (I'm) just really focused on what I can control, and that's learning this playbook as fast as possible. I want to make an impact today. I'm not even worried about Sunday right now. I wanna make an impact today by being prepared — being mentally prepared and physically prepared."
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Inside Adam Thielen's Whirlwind 1st Days with Steelers
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