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A new offseason workout plan has rejuvenated Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

The 36-year-old indicated that he's in the best shape of his career Thursday following the team's first training camp practice at St. Vincent College.

A leaner Cheap Ronnie Harrison Jersey , trimmer Roethlisberger hopes the additional offseason work can play a part in helping the Steelers to another championship.

"Anything you can do to lighten the load on your knees and ankles, I think is important," said Roethlisberger, who worked with a personal trainer and nutritionist to cut sugar and carbohydrates from his diet to get him ready for his 15th season.

"The knees, the ankles, being lighter ... those are all positives when it comes to this age, playing football and a sport where you're pounding on your knees and you've had a couple knee surgeries."

It could be his last chance to win a championship with two-time All-Pro running back Le'Veon Bell.

Bell is away from the team after he and the Steelers failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension earlier this month, meaning he will play under the $14.5 million franchise tag for the second straight year.

Bell skipped training camp last year and signed his franchise tender less than a week before the start of the season. He is expected to follow the same plan and then play what could be his final season in Pittsburgh.

"I don't know what's going on with his agents and how this whole thing works, so I'm not sure what's going to happen," Roethlisberger said.

Nobody's sure when Bell will show up either. Until then, former Pitt star running back James Conner, rookie fifth-round pick Jaylen Samuels and veterans Stevan Ridley and Fitzgerald Toussaint will carry the load.

"Le'Veon is one of the best, if not the best in the business," Roethlisberger said. "We miss him as a teammate, but I look at it as an awesome opportunity for the other guys."

Roethlisberger, whose contract expires in the spring of 2020, is excited about the offensive line in front of him and the Steelers' skill players at running back and wide receiver, led by Bell and four-time All-Pro Antonio Brown.

"I really like where this team is at," Roethlisberger said. "If I didn't have a good feeling about this team Broncos Isaac Yiadom Jersey , it probably wouldn't be as exciting, but I am excited about this group."

He led the team to a 13-3 regular season last season, which included a second straight AFC North title and third in four years. But the Steelers were upset by Jacksonville at home during the divisional round in the playoffs.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said it's reasonable to expect another big season from Roethlisberger after his renewed offseason conditioning focus.

"Regardless of position, we always say physical conditioning precedes anything else," Tomlin said. "When a guy shows up in great shape, that's oftentimes a springboard for big-time play."

While Roethlisberger hopes the additional work can prolong his career, he also reiterated that he's only focused on this season.

"I think the biggest key is physical health," Roethlisberger said. "When you get done with the season, how do you feel physically? Do you feel physically able to go back another season or not? We'll address that when the season is over and that's a long ways away."

Roethlisberger established career highs in completions, attempts, completion percentage, yards and touchdowns under Todd Haley, but shared an at-times contentious relationship with the Steelers' former offensive coordinator.

This season, he will work with former quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner, who has taken over the play-calling duties after Haley's deal wasn't renewed in January. Roethlisberger said Fichtner hasn't changed much offensively.

"He's not going to change who he is," Roethlisberger said. "He's not going to change his approach to the game and be a different person."

As long as it leads to a Super Bowl title, that's all that matters to Roethlisberger.

"If you win more than you lose, that's important, but winning those games can lead to Super Bowl opportunities Terrell Edmunds Game Jersey , so that's always our ultimate goal," Roethlisberger said. "There's 31 other teams doing the same thing. That needs to be our singular focus."
— Adam Vinatieri vividly remembers his last game against Morten Andersen.

Andersen had already logged more than 20 seasons in the NFL, was well into his 40s, nearing the end of his career and still kicking as well as anyone in the league. Back then, Vinatieri marveled at how the seemingly ageless Andersen managed to excel for so long.

Now, more than a decade later, Vinatieri finds himself grinding through his 23rd NFL training camp, hoping to join the NFL’s career scoring leader in the Hall of Fame. Andersen was inducted last year.

“I would have liked to have seen a handful more kickers and punters make it in there, but finally getting a second kicker in and Ray Guy getting in, it’s good that we have some representation in there because those guys did a lot for the league,” the Indianapolis Colts kicker said.

Andersen’s induction last year provided hope to specialists such as Vinatieri that they, too, could be headed to Canton, Ohio, one day.

Until Andersen’s selection, Vinatieri wasn’t sure. The only one other “pure” kicker to earn pro football’s highest distinction was Jan Stenerud in 1991. Guy was elected in 2014, ending the shutout for punters.

Some believe Vinatieri could be next.

His sterling resume glistens with Hall of Fame credentials: four Super Bowl rings, the league record for 100-point seasons (20) and second all-time in career scoring (2,487 points). Anderson finished with 2 Braden Smith Jersey Colts ,544 and Vinatieri needs 58 points to break the record, which could happen at midseason if all goes well.

He owns the career record for scoring in postseason games (234), is the only player to top 1,000 points and make 200 field goals with two teams, has celebrated a league-record 225 victories, including playoffs, and made a league-high 44 consecutive field goals. If Vinatieri completes this season, he would become only the third 46-year-old player to suit up for an NFL team.

His highlight reel contains some of the most memorable kicks in league history: two last-minute field goals to win Super Bowls and the tying and winning kicks in the infamous Snow Bowl, which helped New England win the first of its five Lombardi Trophies. He has been dubbed the best clutch kicker in league history and there’s no indication “Automatic Adam” is slowing down.

“It’s ridiculous,” holder Rigoberto Sanchez said. “It’s honestly out of this world, I think. Twenty-three years in the league, still kicking the ball the way he kicks it, 60 yards out in practice. It’s unreal.”

Just how much has Vinatieri seen and done during his career?

He is the last link to the NFL’s developmental league in Europe, the one Andrew Luck’s father worked with, and one of only two players left from the 1990s. Former teammate Phil Dawson is the other.

Vinatieri joined the league before former teammates Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, still reminds people he once tackled Herschel Walker and acknowledges missing on Desmond Howard and Devin Hester as they returned his kickoffs for Super Bowl scores.

He played for Hall of Fame coaches Bill Parcells and Tony Dungy, in addition to Bill Belichick. His newest coach, Frank Reich, actually threw for 281 yards against the Patriots during Vinatieri’s rookie season in 1996.

Somehow Isaiah Oliver Youth Jersey , though, he remains the epitome of consistency.

Last year, with a new long snapper and a new holder, Vinatieri still made 85.3 percent of his field goals and scored 109 points and now he’s back with his oldest son, A.J., serving as a ball boy at training camp.

“It comes to a point where Adam is Mr. Clutch over here, so (long snapper) Luke (Rhodes) just tries to do his job right and get the 12 o’clock laces and I try to get the ball in the spot that he likes and let him do the rest,” said Sanchez, who wasn’t even born until a week after Vinatieri’s NFL debut in 1996. “He’s been kicking it straight for a long time.”

Despite the honors, the nicknames and the Hall of Fame predictions, Vinatieri knows he may still need more to follow the kicker he has been watching since his younger days in South Dakota into the NFL’s most hallowed halls.

“I don’t think it hurts, that’s for sure,” Vinatieri said. “It’s one of those things that I haven’t really though too much about it. I’m still just trying to help my team win games and keep on putting chapters in this book and if that happens, fantastic.”

NOTES: The Colts have activated starting safeties Clayton Geathers and Malik Hooker from the physically unable to perform list Thursday. Both were coming off knee surgery. … Guard Jeremy Vujnovich also was activated from PUP. He had been out with an injured calf after starting all 16 games last season.
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