Ryan Clark Reflects on Most Violent Training Camp Practice: ‘That’s a Day of Football I Will Never Forget’

In 2012, Antonio Brown sparked the most violent day of training camp that former Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Ryan Clark has ever been a part of. It’s a day that he’ll never forget.

Brown just received a lucrative contract in his third year, so he thought he was all high and mighty. Brown was torching cornerback Keenan Lewis throughout the practice and was letting the defense know about it. Brown was screaming that he was the franchise.

Legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, who is a man of view words, told Brown to get back to the huddle. As expected, this didn’t sit well with AB, who proceeded to cuss LeBeau out. … And that’s when the flames started to burst. Disrespecting a legend like LeBeau wouldn’t be tolerated.

“And you know Ike (Taylor), Dickie!? He’s goin’ cuss out Dickie!?” Ryan Clark recalled on The Pivot.

The entire defense was fired up. Even the mild-mannered Troy Polamalu. The defense was out for blood.

“I was telling him, ‘This is gonna be it. You are never gonna spend any of that money because I’m gonna finish it today,'” Clark said. “I remember, we’re fired up, and Troy (Polamalu) looked at me. And Troy never snapped his helmet, and he always had his hair in a bun, and he looked at me and went (snapped on his helmet). I was like, oh, it’s a different type of day now. Now we blitzing, I’m flipping running backs that trying to get to me. Troy slinging Ben (Roethlisberger) around. We fighting every snap. … We lost total control of it.”

While slapping Keenan Lewis Antonio Brown sparked the most violent day of training camp I’ve ever been a part of. After he cursed Dick LeBeau even Troy Polamalu had seen enough. Running backs were flipped, QBs tossed, & wide receivers jacked up.

What started as a fight with me… pic.twitter.com/fhjsz5goQf

— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) July 24, 2024

Brown and Taylor even threw hands once practice was over. That’s how intense it was. Ironically, it was on family day, too.

“Ike stood up, we’re breaking down (after practice) now, he didn’t say a word. Breaking down, he’s taking his gloves off.  Walked over to him … pow, pow! These boys start fighting on the field dog. They’re fighting on the field. Ben being the peacemaker, (tells) me ‘get him RC.’ I said the hell I wish I would. He needs to be beat up.

“It was that type of atmosphere that day. … That’s a day of football I will never forget. In all my years, it’s the most physical day of practice I’ve ever seen.”