Building an NFL roster isn’t your normal hiring process. There are no set qualifications. Having a Bachelor’s degree alone doesn’t cut it. For coaches, it’s more of an eye-test. For Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebackers coach Aaron Curry, there are a couple boxes that each player he’s responsible for must check.
“If I had to write up a job description for a Steelers inside linebacker, I’d say you gotta be enthusiastic, tough, violent and play smart,” Curry said during mandatory minicamp via the team’s YouTube channel.
That’s an important yet conflicting skillset on paper. Playing smart while still being violent.