Carnell Lake started 15 games as a rookie with the Steelers in 1989. The second-round draft pick struggled some early, but he strongly believes the experience he gained as a rookie helped him become a five-time Pro Bowler as a safety and cornerback in his 13-year career.
“That’s basically how I was raised in the NFL,” said Lake, now the Steelers defensive backs coach. “From day one, I was thrown in the fire. You make a lot of mistakes. If you can correct those quickly, and make some plays while you’re doing it, you can stay around a while.