How Sammie Coates Went from Rookie Bust to the Latest Steelers WR Success Story

October 21, 2016   ·   Dan Pompei   ·   Jump to comments

PITTSBURGH — The cameras were going to love this kid, with his long torso and the dreadlocks flapping out of his helmet. He was going to be a highlight machine, blazing through defenses and plucking passes from the sky, dancing in end zones and nodding while fans wearing his jersey No. 14 gave high-fives all over Heinz Field.
Sammie Coates was going to be an instant star. At least, that was how it seemed back in the autumn of 2015.
The NFL had different plans.
The plays moved fast. Real fast. Defensive players were cunning, and his routes were sloppy. Balls bounced off his hands. He was huffing and puffing all the time.
As it turned out, fans weren't wearing his jersey at games, and neither was he. His coaches decided he would wear street clothes for eight regular-season games and another postseason game. He didn't get off the bench in two other regular-season games. All regular season long, he caught one lousy pass.
Coates' most important contribution wa...

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