Steelers pounce on history lesson

Seventeen rookies including first round draft pick Maurkice Pouncey, visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Friday. The group of first-year hopefuls was treated to a tour of the museum and a detailed account of the sport's history.

{GALLERY}The visit was coordinated by Ray Jackson who heads the team's Player Development Department.

"It was a great, great experience and I know the players really enjoyed it," commented Jackson. "Just seeing how rich the history is, it takes you back to being a child.

"The players are in the moment right now," he continued, "and they can seize the moment and work to become one of those special players who get enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame."

Most of the players seem surprised by the fact that pro football was first played in Pittsburgh and that the game's first professional player received $500 to play. Throughout the day, they learned the pivotal role that their team played in the history of the NFL. Many references during the tour centered on the contributions of Hall of Famers such as Art Rooney and Dan Rooney and the star players of the Steelers' dynasty teams of the 1970s like Terry Bradshaw, Mike Webster, Mel Blount, and Joe Greene.

Jackson has been responsible for setting up the rookie visits over the past several years. Jackson, a former NFL player, was a cornerback for the Buffalo Bills (1996-98) and the Cleveland Browns (1999-2001).