Ex- Steelers offensive coordinator fills in as receivers coach as practice resumes

Longtime NFL assistant coach and former Steelers offensive coordinator Ray Sherman helped coach the receivers Tuesday, two days after the sudden death of Darryl Drake.

Sherman, 67, has been with the Steelers all summer as a coaching consultant and had been working closely in training camp with Drake and Blaine Stewart, an offensive assistant who is entering his second season with the Steelers.

Sherman has a long college and NFL resume. He began his coaching career in the college

ranks in 1974. He has been in the NFL as an assistant since 1988.

Tomlin spoke during a news conference Tuesday morning before practice but did not wish to divulge any long- term plans for Drake’s replacement.

“We are in the process of developing a plan that is in place,” Tomlin said. “I just do not wish to discuss the intimate details. I just don’t believe it’s appropriate at this time.”

Sherman, 67, served as offensive coordinator for one season under Bill Cowher in 1998. He also was the offensive coordinator in Minnesota in 1999. From 2000- 15, he served as a receivers coach for the Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys and St. Louis Rams.

Stewart is the son of former West Virginia head coach Bill Stewart and played receiver for the University of Charleston in 2016 and 2017 after transferring from James Madison. This is his first coaching job of any kind. Bill Stewart, who died in 2012, gave Tomlin his first coaching job at VMI.

A quiet scene

Training camp practices at Saint Vincent are usually lively affairs, but Tuesday’s rain- shortened practice was somber.

In the first practice after Drake’s death, a small group of fans and a youth football team lined the hillside to greet players as they made their way down to the field. Just as they are every day, the players were introduced one- by- one, but this time to subdued applause.

Just as the horn sounded at 2: 55 p. m. to begin practice, Tomlin had a short conversation with Sherman before the offense started a prepractice walk- through. A short time later, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger gathered the offense for a short prayer before practice began in earnest.

When asked earlier in the day if a return to normalcy would help the Steelers as they grieve, Tomlin said: “I don’t know that it does. We have professional obligations. We intend to march.”

Davis returns

Free safety Sean Davis returned to practice and worked with the first- team defense after missing the past three weeks with a finger injury. Davis was one of many injured players that returned to practice after an extended layoff.

Cornerback Artie Burns, receivers Donte Moncrief and Diontae Johnson, offensive linemen Al Villanueva and Ramon Foster and linebacker Vince Williams also returned to practice after missing time last week due to injuries.