Is the preseason your debut? 10 Steelers give their opinions

Some Steelers briefly balked at the idea of being asked a philosophical question. Don’t worry, they were assured, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. At its core, it’s a fairly straightforward pro football question.

Does the preseason count as your NFL debut, or does that come when you appear in a regular- season game?

The stats don’t matter, nor do the final scores, but for most players, exhibitions are their first exposure to the league. Friday night at Heinz Field will be the unveiling of many new Steelers, rookies and free agents, but will it be their debut? We asked players of various experience and status levels their thoughts:

Third- year quarterback Josh Dobbs: “That’s a good question. I think it’s technically your NFL debut, because it’s your first game experience. It’s your first time putting on your NFL threads, you’re going out and competing against a different color jersey. Of course it’s the preseason, so it might not count in the final standings, but I think, because that’s your first opportunity to go out and play a game for

your team, I still think that’s your debut. Not every rookie, not every player’s going to make a debut in the regular season, so I think your first time putting on your helmet, going out there and getting on the field — whether it’s preseason, regular season, whenever it is — I think that’s your debut, your first time on the field.”

Rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges: “To me, it’s my first game. I mean, playing on an NFL team, no matter if it’s a preseason game or any sort of game, to me, it’s my first game and it’s an opportunity for me to show what I can do in a game.”

Third- year offensive tackle Zach Banner: “I haven’t had my NFL debut yet. ( Banner played in eight games as a backup for the Browns as a rookie). I did [ play in the regular season]; I just haven’t had my debut. I don’t think it’s a debut yet. I have a higher standard. It just all depends on the way you are and how you perceive who you are, and your play. I haven’t done that yet.”

Rookie linebacker Devin Bush: “Oh, definitely, I’m approaching it as a debut. To me, it’s a game, and you’ve got to show up at game time. You get four opportunities to get a head start before everything starts counting, so it’s definitely a debut.”

Rookie linebacker Sutton Smith: “Playing a regular- season game, that’s, like, an NFL debut- type thing. Preseasons are for just seeing what the young guys got. Being in the real season, that’s your NFL debut.”

Fifth- year cornerback Steven Nelson ( a free- agent addition): “I’ll consider this my Steelers debut, just because I’m going against a new opponent and I’m actually putting on that Steelers uniform for the first time inside the stadium. I treat all games like they’re regularseason games, preseason or not, because it’s film. If you get scored on for a touchdown, they’re not going to say, ‘ Oh, it’s preseason.’ They’re going to say you [ stink], or something. So, treat it all the same.”

Rookie cornerback Justin Layne: “I really don’t think about it too much. I mean, I don’t know. Preseason, it’s kind of like practice. Not saying I’m going to treat it like practice, but I mean, it’s not going to hit me as big as a regularseason game’s going to hit me. It’s really just practice trying to get better for the regular season.”

Second- year safety Terrell Edmunds: “I think you’ve got two [ debuts]. I’ll say both. Because it’s your first time on the field. They treat it like this is your first game you’re going to play in the league, so, you’ve got to go out there and you’ve got to perform. That’s how I feel. You’re putting on a jersey, you’re putting on a helmet, so you’ve got to treat it as such.”

Second- year safety Marcus Allen: “That’s in- season, [ your debut]. Preseason, I mean, it’s exciting, but your debut is when you’re playing when it counts.”

Seventh- year safety Jordan Dangerfield: “It depends what situation you’re in. For me, I feel like my first one, coming from my journey and stuff, it was my first preseason game. And then, thank God, I made it to where I did have a debut in my first real NFL game in the regular season.”

Every player surveyed above would love to make their Pro Bowl debut someday. There’s no interpretation needed there. Third- year linebacker T. J. Watt has done that, and he knows exactly what he’d tell a player who’s underestimating the importance of their first NFL game, preseason or not.

“Just know your playbook and absolutely fly around and don’t hold anything back,” Watt said. “Because if you do, you’re not putting who you really are out there — for this team, or for any team that has a possibility of getting you.”

Now that’s simple enough.