Steelers Rookies Join Mentoring Partnership for Q&A With Local Students

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2021 rookie class joined Mentoring Pittsburgh for a virtual Q&A with local students on Friday.

The players were joined by students from a number of local organizations, including the Crossroads Foundation, 1Nation Mentoring and Propel McKeesport, and answered questions after leading them through a short exercise session.

Running back Najee Harris, tight end Pat Freiermuth expressed the importance of mentorship and overcoming adversity.

“Mentoring can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people,” Kristan Allen, director of marketing and development for the Mentoring Partnership, told Steelers.com “At its core, mentoring really is about connection. It’s about surrounding kids and it’s about surrounding all of us with supportive and caring people who can help us dream big and think about and realize a lot of different opportunities.”

The players also discussed their role models and the personal qualities and strategies they have employed to reach the NFL and find success in their lives.

“My biggest role models were my parents,”punter Pressley Harvin said. “Both of my parents are firm believers in making opportunities and trying to make the most of them. Growing up, I played every sport. Having them behind me the whole time was something I was proud to have and appreciative of. Some guys and kids don’t have the opportunity to have both their parents behind them. No matter what, if you have that someone behind you that can continue to drive you and make you a better person overall is what you really want, striving to make sure you have that. It can be a close friend, a relative, anybody you look up to.”

Started by late Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney, Mentoring Partnership “helps children by delivering resources to mentoring programs” throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania.