Sammie Coates had a rough night on Friday!
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2015 third-round pick earned high praise during offseason workouts and training camp. He’s the top candidate to fill in for Martavis Bryant, who has a one-year ban. But Friday, Coates fumbled twice while catching three passes for just 18 yards and one run netting zero yards.
His night opened him up to criticism surrounding the lack of ball security and mental awareness he displayed. In the NFL, awareness comes from experience and Coates had only one catch in two targets last year. And after Friday, he is aware of how defenders try to get the ball out.
Coates told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that he’s never fumbled the football at any level and offered no excuse. He said, “Great players find a way to bounce back and fix their mistakes,” Coates said. “I was careless with the ball today. There’s no excuse.”
Friday’s experience will make Coates focus and pay attention to detail on those occasions he catches short passes. At 6’1″, 212 pounds, with 4.4 40 speed and a 41-inch vertical leap, Coates is deep threat. Since his main role to replace Bryant he won’t be going short too much.
Back in the 1987, a man by the name of Jerry Rice, then with the San Francisco 49ers, fumbled away a sure TD in the playoffs against the New York Giants. That was at the conclusion of his second year in the NFL and from there, would become as sure-handed as they get.
Not that Coates will go on to be Rice but he will pay more attention to detail and become a better player because of what happened Friday night. And the best thing about it is his mistakes didn’t cost him a playoff game, it was in the preseason, where youngsters are supposed to learn.