缅北禁地

Aug 31, 2016 By Jim Wexell for The 5 min read

PITTSBURGH 鈥� As a coach鈥檚 son, Bryn Renner says with pride that 鈥渃oaching is in my blood.鈥�

But so is playing. And when the Pittsburgh Steelers called Renner, he didn鈥檛 hesitate to leave his job as quarterbacks coach at Austin Peay University for a fifth shot in the NFL.

鈥淚t鈥檚 once-in-a-lifetime thing,鈥� he said.

And so he said goodbye to coaching.

For now.

鈥淏ouncing both careers,鈥� is how he put it, and that鈥檚 why Renner knows that Thursday night鈥檚 audition 鈥� in which he鈥檒l likely play the majority of the game as the Steelers quarterback 鈥� isn鈥檛 a life-or-death situation for him.

If 鈥� and eventually when 鈥� this doesn鈥檛 work out, he鈥檒l just go back to coaching.

But there鈥檚 something else at stake.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just my performance,鈥� said the 6-3, 225-pounder, 鈥渂ut also the others around me to try to make the 53, and also the 63 for the practice squad.鈥�

Renner might start Thursday night in the Steelers鈥� preseason finale at Carolina. It鈥檚 a homecoming for the Charlotte resident, and on offense he鈥檒l be surrounded by players fighting for their professional lives. Renner took the opportunity this weekend to call them together.

鈥淚 told them, 鈥榊ou know? We鈥檙e playing for each other out there because we鈥檙e all fighting for a spot,'鈥� Renner said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been in this situation the last two years, trying to make a team, so I understand the pressure that鈥檚 going to come with Thursday.鈥�

Renner鈥檚 on his fifth team since coming out of North Carolina and he has an opportunity to claim the open No. 3 QB spot with the Steelers. To that end, he鈥檚 been helped by the injured No. 3, Bruce Gradkowski, in cramming for Thursday鈥檚 test.

Renner was signed last week and appeared in the game at New Orleans. He entered in the middle of the fourth quarter for the final three series. He didn鈥檛 pass, was sacked the only time he dropped back, but executed well enough for the Steelers to add three points during his time. It was a basic performance befitting a player who stood in the backdrop as the Steelers prepared their top two quarterbacks for the 鈥渄ress rehearsal.鈥�

But this week has been different. This has been a busy cram session for Renner.

鈥淚 think I鈥檝e done a pretty good job of getting a handle on the offense,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think Randy (Fichtner) and Coach (Todd) Haley and Bruce and all the quarterbacks have done a really good job of helping me with my questions and speeding the process up for me.鈥�

He鈥檚 done it before.

After starting 34 games at UNC, and completing 67 percent of his college passes, Renner injured his shoulder as a senior and went undrafted in 2014. He signed with the Denver Broncos following the draft but was released in late August. He finished 2014 in the Arena League before signing with the Baltimore Ravens in January, 2015.

He made the Ravens practice squad, was released, re-signed and promoted to the active roster for a few days in December before they signed Ryan Mallet.

Renner finished 2015 on the Tennessee Titans practice squad before signing with the San Diego Chargers in March of this year. They released him in May and here he is taking his fifth 鈥渃ram session.鈥�

鈥淭he concepts are pretty much the same around the league so it鈥檚 like learning a new language,鈥� Renner said. 鈥淕etting in and out of the huddle without penalties, that鈥檚 what I was proud of myself when I went in the game on (Friday). We didn鈥檛 have any false starts. We were a little bit in the haze, but we got that out of the way and are ready for Thursday.鈥�

He鈥檚 the son of a coach, Bill Renner, who punted for two years for the Green Bay Packers as he began coaching at West Springfield High School in Northern Virginia. Bill also coached in North Carolina and recently retired after 33 years in the profession.

Bryn (pronounced Brin) now has the fever and realizes that each new team adds another layer to his knowledge.

鈥淚 love coaching,鈥� Renner said. 鈥淏eing at the professional level, that鈥檚 almost like getting your Masters. You鈥檙e learning from the best people in the world doing their job. And the franchises I鈥檝e been with have won Super Bowls and I鈥檝e been around coaches who鈥檝e been in Super Bowls and how they prepare, and so I鈥檓 just being a sponge, bouncing both careers. Obviously, I want to continue being a player but I know that鈥檚 a limited time. Whatever happens I鈥檓 going to put my best foot forward in either regard.鈥�

NOTES: The Steelers placed TE Ladarius Green on the Reserve/PUP list, meaning he can鈥檛 be activated until after the sixth week of the regular season. Green, signed to a 4-year, $20 million free-agent contract in March, hasn鈥檛 been able to practice since undergoing ankle surgery following last season. He鈥檚 also experienced headaches and caused concerned about the concussions he suffered while with the San Diego Chargers. 鈥� The Steelers also released safety Jacob Hagen, defensive tackle Devaunte Sigler and cornerback Kevin White. 鈥� The Steelers must reduce their roster to 53 players by Saturday, Sept. 3, at 4 p.m.