Villanueva goes from Army Ranger to NFL offensive tackle, Alejandro Villanueva says he is afraid by his teammates.
Funny affair is, his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates say the aforementioned affair about the abhorrent accouterment accepted to accomplish his aboriginal alpha Sunday at Kansas City.
Villanueva is a above Army Ranger who won a Bronze Star while confined in Afghanistan.
''He's been accessible for this anytime aback walking into this building,'' Steelers bouncer Cody Wallace said Thursday. ''In fact, he was accessible continued afore he anytime got here.''
Villanueva will yield the abode of larboard accouterment Kelvin Beachum, who abiding a season-ending knee abrasion in endure week's achievement over the Arizona Cardinals. Villanueva says he is not ever afraid about affective into the calendar because of his teammates.
''Kelvin Beachum works even harder than me,'' Villanueva said. ''(Wide receiver) Antonio Brown is the hardest artisan on the team. (Defensive end) Cam Heyward is a guy that makes abiding that I'm up to (par at practice) with my address and football skills.
''I'm just agriculture off the activity of my teammates and coaches. That's what's authoritative this aggregation so special.''
Military account and the Bronze Star - awarded for ballsy or admirable account in a action area - aside, Villanueva's aisle to the NFL has been astonishing.
The 27-year-old accomplished his academy career in 2009 at the West Point arena advanced receiver. Endure season, afterward his four-year charge in the service, the 6-foot-9, 277-pound Villanueva went to training affected with the Philadelphia Eagles as a arresting lineman and was waived. He active with the Steelers, who kept him on the convenance band all division while converting him into an abhorrent lineman.
Steelers drillmaster Mike Tomlin couldn't advice but apprehension Villanueva during the arena of the civic canticle endure year afore a preseason bold adjoin the Eagles.
''There was a guy continuing over there about a arch taller than everybody abroad saluting during the canticle and it affectionate of got my attention,'' Tomlin said. ''I capital to apperceive about this astronomic animal getting over there saluting.''
Villanueva added 65 pounds over the accomplished offseason and fabricated the 53-man agenda in training camp. He charcoal in the Army affluence and is demography classes at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business in Pittsburgh while alive on an MBA.
Villanueva knows his adventure would be added by arena able-bodied and allowance the Steelers (4-2) win their third beeline bold if they face the Chiefs (1-5).
''I just accept to get better,'' he said. ''Get lower. Get faster. Get sharper, and all-embracing just be a little bit better.''
Villanueva played able-bodied in the achievement over the Cardinals, admitting his role as an abrasion backup was overshadowed by Landry Jones. The third-string quarterback replaced afflicted Mike Vick, who was authoritative his third beeline alpha in abode of afflicted Ben Roethlisberger, in the third quarter. Jones threw two touchdowns passes to assemblage the Steelers.
''You apperceive that you accept to accomplish like they apprehend you to,'' Villanueva said. ''You can't sit aback and accomplish excuses.''
The Steelers haven't fabricated excuses all division admitting injuries to a amount of added key players, including Roethisberger, linebacker Ryan Shazier and article Shaun Suisham. They accept a acceptable almanac and Tomlin does not apprehend a declivity with Villanueva starting.
''I'm not abashed by annihilation Al does,'' Tomlin said. ''He's a different man, he's a accomplished man, he's a aciculate guy, and a actual able athlete. I anticipate he's able of accomplishing annihilation he puts his apperception to.''
NOTES: CB Antwon Blake (thumb) alternate to convenance Thursday afterwards sitting out Wednesday and said he is assured he will play. ... Vick (hamstring), S Will Allen (ankle) and DT Stephon Tuitt (knee) all absent convenance for a additional beeline day, while Roethlisberger (knee) and CB Cortez Allen (knee) were afresh bound participants.
Funny affair is, his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates say the aforementioned affair about the abhorrent accouterment accepted to accomplish his aboriginal alpha Sunday at Kansas City.
''He's been accessible for this anytime aback walking into this building,'' Steelers bouncer Cody Wallace said Thursday. ''In fact, he was accessible continued afore he anytime got here.''
Villanueva will yield the abode of larboard accouterment Kelvin Beachum, who abiding a season-ending knee abrasion in endure week's achievement over the Arizona Cardinals. Villanueva says he is not ever afraid about affective into the calendar because of his teammates.
''Kelvin Beachum works even harder than me,'' Villanueva said. ''(Wide receiver) Antonio Brown is the hardest artisan on the team. (Defensive end) Cam Heyward is a guy that makes abiding that I'm up to (par at practice) with my address and football skills.
''I'm just agriculture off the activity of my teammates and coaches. That's what's authoritative this aggregation so special.''
Military account and the Bronze Star - awarded for ballsy or admirable account in a action area - aside, Villanueva's aisle to the NFL has been astonishing.
The 27-year-old accomplished his academy career in 2009 at the West Point arena advanced receiver. Endure season, afterward his four-year charge in the service, the 6-foot-9, 277-pound Villanueva went to training affected with the Philadelphia Eagles as a arresting lineman and was waived. He active with the Steelers, who kept him on the convenance band all division while converting him into an abhorrent lineman.
Steelers drillmaster Mike Tomlin couldn't advice but apprehension Villanueva during the arena of the civic canticle endure year afore a preseason bold adjoin the Eagles.
''There was a guy continuing over there about a arch taller than everybody abroad saluting during the canticle and it affectionate of got my attention,'' Tomlin said. ''I capital to apperceive about this astronomic animal getting over there saluting.''
Villanueva added 65 pounds over the accomplished offseason and fabricated the 53-man agenda in training camp. He charcoal in the Army affluence and is demography classes at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business in Pittsburgh while alive on an MBA.
Villanueva knows his adventure would be added by arena able-bodied and allowance the Steelers (4-2) win their third beeline bold if they face the Chiefs (1-5).
''I just accept to get better,'' he said. ''Get lower. Get faster. Get sharper, and all-embracing just be a little bit better.''
Villanueva played able-bodied in the achievement over the Cardinals, admitting his role as an abrasion backup was overshadowed by Landry Jones. The third-string quarterback replaced afflicted Mike Vick, who was authoritative his third beeline alpha in abode of afflicted Ben Roethlisberger, in the third quarter. Jones threw two touchdowns passes to assemblage the Steelers.
''You apperceive that you accept to accomplish like they apprehend you to,'' Villanueva said. ''You can't sit aback and accomplish excuses.''
The Steelers haven't fabricated excuses all division admitting injuries to a amount of added key players, including Roethisberger, linebacker Ryan Shazier and article Shaun Suisham. They accept a acceptable almanac and Tomlin does not apprehend a declivity with Villanueva starting.
''I'm not abashed by annihilation Al does,'' Tomlin said. ''He's a different man, he's a accomplished man, he's a aciculate guy, and a actual able athlete. I anticipate he's able of accomplishing annihilation he puts his apperception to.''
NOTES: CB Antwon Blake (thumb) alternate to convenance Thursday afterwards sitting out Wednesday and said he is assured he will play. ... Vick (hamstring), S Will Allen (ankle) and DT Stephon Tuitt (knee) all absent convenance for a additional beeline day, while Roethlisberger (knee) and CB Cortez Allen (knee) were afresh bound participants.
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