When Matt Lentz first walked into the Pittsburgh Steelers? locker room last month, he saw a lot of beards and camouflage.
‘I thought, ‘I fit right in,?? said Lentz.
The Steelers thought so, too. They recently signed Lentz, 25, to their reserve/future roster.
The graduate of Brandon High School and the University of Michigan, who was an offensive lineman at both schools, was feeling discouraged after being released by the New York Giants in mid-October, the second time he had been released by the Giants since they originally signed him in 2006 (during his first season, he suffered an elbow injury, but has since completely recovered from surgery).
After his release, Lentz continued working out.
‘I was nervous and upset and stressed out because I wasn’t doing anything,? he said. ‘I wondered why I was killing myself in the gym.?
He says he remembered why when Pittsburgh called him two weeks before Christmas for a workout. After drills, the team chose a player who weighed 340 pounds. Lentz weighed 320. But, the day after Christmas, the Steelers called again and wanted him back to Pittsburgh as soon as possible. Lentz recalls that day vividly.
‘As soon as they called, I was ecstatic,? he remembers. ‘I thought, ‘Holy crap, I’ve got to start practicing.? My wife woke up when I was running around the house and I was throwing things in my bag and asked what I was doing, and I said, ‘I got a job. I gotta go.??
Lentz and his wife, Tricia, who reside in St. Clair Shores, are currently looking for a second home in Pittsburgh. They are also planning to have children.
‘We’re going to have one busy year househunting and working on kids,? he laughs.
Lentz begins offseason training March 17 with the team and must still make the cut at training camp in August, when around 70-75 players try out for the 53-man roster. If Lentz makes the final cut, he will make a minimum of $300,000 per year.
‘It feels good to be playing football again,? Lentz said. ‘I’m pretty happy I stayed in shape.?
He is also excited to be in Pittsburgh.
‘I’m a fan of what the Steelers stand for. It’s a football town and I like how they are a working class town.?