A week after most NFL training camps opened last summer, safety Trenton Thompson was just an unemployed ballplayer.”In my mind, I was preparing to play now in the UFL or United Football League,” Thompson said last week, referring to his mindset in early August.Instead, before the first of December, Thompson was almost a humble player playing a big game for a National Football League team.Although Thompson ended the season injured and his position with the Pittsburgh Steelers is up in the air, he is disappointed..
Instead, Thompson was almost a total loss by the first day of December, playing a big game for a National Football League team.Although Thompson ended the season injured and his position with the Pittsburgh Steelers is up in the air, he is disappointed.”This business can be tough,” said Thompson, whose listening helped the Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 26. “You never know how it’s going to go. As an undrafted player, (take it) year by year and see where things go and how long I can generally keep my foot in the door.”Thompson admits he still has a long way to go to become a regular in the NFL. But the last season, he far, especially since he was unemployed when the camps opened..
“I’m still trying to establish myself and get a leg up somewhere in the building,” Thompson said.“I am a man who is never pleasant. I feel like even when you’re at your best, I feel like that’s how you stay at your best: you’re not having fun. Let’s see what happens. A lot of good things are happening. There’s a lot of good players here, let’s put it that way.”Thompson had never played defensive end in an NFL regular season opener before the Steelers called him up on one possession for the Green Bay Packers’ final game on November 12 .at Acrisure StadiumThe Steelers held on despite before the win, veteran safety Keanu Neal suffered a season-ending injury to Thompson’s mentor, the Steelers were already without All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick..
So, 18 months after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of San Diego State, Thompson played a key role in the Steelers’ defense over the next five games.“I was ready for that. I was excited,” he said. “I was like, ‘It’s just football, man. I enjoy it.’ Don’t make it bigger.” And I feel like that’s why I was able to go in there and do my job pretty well and do some things. I’ve done bad things too, but I feel like I did a good job just being thrown into the fire.Thompson’s season came to an abrupt end when he suffered a neck injury late in the December 16 loss to the Steelers at Indianapolis. He was unavailable during a three-game hitting streak that ended the regular season and went on IR before their playoff run.The infrared motion did not reflect the state of his injury, suggesting that it involved nerve problems, as Thompson said his hand was the most damaged. Thompson said he is training as hard and as hard as he has since the injury. However, the Steelers needed a roster release to reactivate safety Damontae Kaze, who is returning from suspension.Thompson said he should be 100% when spring training starts in April..
After a year where he felt he learned a lot from veteran defensive linemen Neal, Fitzpatrick, Kazee and Patrick Peterson, Thompson enters 2024 knowing he still has a fight to earn a spot as an NFL player. If all of the above are signed to the Steelers for this upcoming season and there are viable options at Thompson’s position, who knows what will happen?However, his current situation trumps the opportunity he thought was in store for him: preparing to play on a combined USFL/XFL team.”I had a chance to come (to the Steelers) and I made the most of it,” Thompson said. “I got on the (practice) squad and kept working like I was finally going to play and it started to get to a point where I didn’t think it was going to happen. And when it happened, it was just a crazy, good feeling. I was happy about that.”.
