Back in the ‘Burgh

Two years ago it was Larry Fitzgerald, Kris Wilson and Brandon Miree.

Now it’s a step above…. Two years ago it was Larry Fitzgerald, Kris Wilson and Brandon Miree.

Now it’s a step above. Try Hines Ward, Heath Miller and a mixture of Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker.

Well, not quite yet.

Former Pitt quarterback Rod Rutherford’s offensive arsenal has seen many changes since his days as a Panther. None better, however, than the one that brought him back to professional football two weeks ago.

Rutherford, a Pittsburgh native and standout quarterback at Pitt from 2000-2003, signed a deal with his hometown team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, to play on the team’s practice squad for a little extra insurance at the quarterback position.

After his first few practices at the same South Side facility, he practiced in while a student at Pitt, the reality of his new job still hadn’t set in.

“It’s different going in on the other side of the building,” Rutherford said after practice last week. “I don’t think it’s set in. I’m still [in] awe.”

He hasn’t been there long, so he’s still got plenty to learn. In fact, Rutherford, sporting a white No. 5 Steelers jersey, made some bad reads, leading to interceptions that highlighted a practice last week, but it hasn’t discouraged the young southpaw.

The Steelers personnel know he has the talent. The last time he played a full year as a starter, he put up 3,679 passing yards with 37 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

All Rutherford is asking for is a chance.

“I would have been just as excited to play with any other team willing to give me the opportunity,” he said. “My ultimate goal is to be a starting quarterback, and wherever that happens, it happens.”

Rutherford spent his first year out of school with the Carolina Panthers, but never saw any action during the regular season. Before the start of the season this year, the Panthers released him, leaving him out of football.

Some NFL teams called for a workout, Buffalo, Miami and Houston, to name a few, but none were looking to make a move until later in the year. So, he was thankful the Steelers came along when they did.

“[Carolina] made it seem like it was going to be a fair fight,” Rutherford said. “I don’t think I got the opportunity that everyone else got. I enjoyed my time there, but the way it went at the end of it, I just didn’t appreciate.”

With no callbacks from previous workouts, Rutherford sat out of football for six weeks, but still hung around the game.

He worked as a football coach at his high school, Perry Traditional Academy, in the Pittsburgh City League. His coaching certainly helped. The team is currently 7-1 (7-0 in league play) with one game remaining on its schedule.

“It’s always good to work with the young people and have an opportunity to give back,” he said. “I’m only seven or eight years older than them, but they still look up to me.”

“It was great, especially being at the place where my football career started.”

Not many athletes can say they’ve played their high school, collegiate and professional days all in the same city, but now Rutherford can join that select group.

And with a spot on the Steelers, he can now focus solely on playing football again.

“I’ve been out of the game for six weeks or so,” Rutherford said. “So I’m still getting back into the swing of things. I’m getting into football shape, and learning a whole new offense, but I’ve got plenty of veterans to learn from.”

A new offense will pose challenges for Rutherford, but at least he’ll be comfortable in his surroundings, including the upcoming cold weather.

The wintry Pittsburgh climate that made its way to Steelers practice last week would have sent a chill through anyone relocating from the Carolinas, but not this newly signedquarterback.

“It wasn’t bad. Carolina got kind of cold at times, and that surprised me more than this,” Rutherford said.

“You’d expect this, being in Pittsburgh.”

Rutherford would know. This is his home, and he’s glad to be back.