Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh Steelers Linebacker

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Shop in store or visit Ashley.com today. Now joining us is the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, linebacker from the Steelers in Alex Highsmith. Alex, always appreciate when you join us here on CBS Sports Radio. Thank you for the time and how are you?

Yes sir, I'm doing great. Appreciate you having me on. Well let me start you off with the performance on Monday night. So it wins you AFC Defensive Player of the Week. We know you start the game off with the pick six for a touchdown. You ended the game, forced the fumble and TJ brings it into the end zone.

Your story has started to gain a lot of traction. You were rewarded with the contract this offseason. But to do what you did on Monday Night Football, what do you think you showed people individually about Alex Highsmith? Yeah, I think, you know, just the main thing, you know, I was happy about was just being able to get the victory. You know, we didn't come out and start very well against the 49ers at first game. And so getting a victory, a home victory against the AFC North opponent was huge for us. That was the goal for the week. And so we came out and did that.

You know, I just wanted to do whatever I could to put my team in the best position to win. So, you know, on defense, you know, we pride ourselves in making splash plays and getting the ball, getting turnovers and stuff like that. And so we just want to kind of build on that from last week.

And so I think, you know, there's still a lot of areas that we can improve on. But I think we did a good job of taking the ball away and we just got to continue that culture. You mentioned it coming off that blowout loss to the 49ers. People are wondering how you guys were going to respond in a tough spot up against a divisional rival.

What was the vibe? What did you kind of sense from your guys leading up to that game to elicit the performance that we saw from your team? Yeah, we knew we just wanted to get that taste out of our mouths, you know, especially, you know, losing like that at home. First game in the city, you know, you're hyped up and ready to go. And, you know, you hate that feeling.

And so we just wanted to get that that nasty taste, that sour taste out of our mouth. And we did that by getting the victory over the Browns. And, you know, it's just the AFC North, you know, it's a rivalry game.

So those games are weighted differently. Coach Tomlin always says that. And so, you know, not only was it the AFC North game, but it was a primetime game as well.

So look, all the peers are watching this. So, you know, we came out, we got the job done. But, you know, we got a lot of ways we can improve and looking forward to showing that, you know, this Sunday night. The AFC Defensive Player of the Week, Alex Highsmith, is with us. When you look at a pick six for you, a forced fumble and also a sack in the game, was that the best game that you've ever played? I mean, probably, probably, probably one of, I would say, because that's probably my first touchdown since I popped one or so.

It's been a while since I've had a touchdown. But, you know, I feel like I could have played, you know, even better or not. I just always want to have that mindset and never want to get content or satisfied with how I perform. Looking at the film, there's so many more plays that I could have made in that game.

And so I just never want to get content on like a performance, no matter how I play, whether I do have sacks or I don't have a sack in a game. You know, I always just want to be one to get better and play better than I do. And it's so cool to see the way that you played. And then we also know what T.J. Watt does week in and week out for the Steelers for a long time. What have you been able to learn as a teammate of T.J. Watt from him? I've been able to learn a lot, you know, ever since I came in my rookie year. He's just been able, he's just been willing to help me in my growth and development, in my process.

And, you know, I came in, I was like a sponge, you know, I was wanting to circle as much information as I could. I was talking to him in meetings and stuff like that. So it's been cool, you know, seeing how we started to, you know, get out there and work together and stuff like that. And, you know, on that strip sack play, we both knew that it was going to be some type of play action on that play. And so just, you know, we started to communicate a lot on the field and that's grown a lot over the past couple of years. And so it's cool to be able to ball with that guy, man.

You know, he's the best in the world at what he does. So, you know, definitely blessed to be able to go out there and ball with him. I love your story where you were a walk-on, you end up becoming a third round pick, you get a $68 million contract this offseason. What do you want people to know about the story and the grind of Alex Highsmith to become the player that you've been the last few years in the NFL?

Yeah, I'm just, I'm grateful, you know, I'm grateful for the path that God has had me on and I believe he's blessed me in unbelievable ways. And so I play for his glory and, you know, for me, it's always been, you know, about working hard and naturally, I truly mean that like out there. I would do extra stuff at practice all the time. I would get there early. I would stay late, watch extra film and stuff like that. And so, you know, I've been given this platform for a reason. So I want to make the most of it.

And yeah, so I just want to be someone who's known as, you know, a blue collar, hardworking guy, you know, who always wants to get better. A big topic of conversation this week was the hit Minka Fitzpatrick had on Nick Chubb personally. It's an awful injury. No one wants to see one of the game's best running backs get injured. I didn't have a problem, though, with the hit.

Were you surprised by the reaction of some going after Minka for the hit? I mean, yeah, I was because, you know, it's and I absolutely hate it because Nick Chubb is, he's one of the best running backs in the league. You know, he's a great player and you hate to see injuries like that happen. It's just the terrible part, you know, the terrible part of the game that we play.

You know, everyone's out there and we're playing, we're playing hard and things like that. I just hate to see things like that happen. But, you know, I don't know why people were coming after him. But, you know, I'm just, you know, praying for him and that his recovery would be really fast. And, you know, he gets back on the field, you know, because he's a he's a great guy to go against. You know, I like going against him. He runs hard. He really makes you work, you know, work to get that victory against him. And so, but you hate seeing guys go down like that.

You know, you really do. When you guys were preparing, you had a lot of success up against the Sean Watson. What was your view going into the game when you watched him on film the quarterback to Sean Watson can be? Because people are wondering, can he get back to being a great quarterback in this league?

Yeah, I definitely think he's still a really talented quarterback, you know, you know, because he's very he's very, you know, multidimensional. You can throw, you can run it. He's dangerous in the pocket. So we will let him out a few times in the game.

And so that's what he's dangerous in that way that he can get out of the pocket and run as well. And so we know we just had to contain it. We knew we had to get after him.

We know we sacked him, you know, get him out of times last year, the last year in the season. So we know we had to get after him again this this year. And so, you know, he's still definitely a very talented quarterback, you know, love competing against him, you know, because he's a he's a competitor. Being in that locker room, being a big voice in that locker room like you are as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, Alex Highsmith is with us. A lot of people are wondering what your quarterback is capable of in Kenny Pickett. When you go to battle with him, what does your quarterback bring to the table to this league?

He's a competitive man. And I know, you know, I know he's going to bounce back, you know, coming up this week and stuff. And I'm just excited to see just how he can, how he continues to grow. As far as just, you know, step up in leadership of him just throughout the offseason and through training camp and stuff like that. And so I'm excited. I know that all the guys on the team respect him. And so I'm excited for him to, you know, to bounce back and, you know, I know they're going to have a good week.

And I'm just excited to, you know, see what they do. When you get to this game on Sunday night up against the Raiders, right, you got Josh Jacobs. There's Devontae Adams.

You have Jimmy Garoppolo's been in this league as a long time. Throughout the week, what has been the number one point of emphasis when you go up against this Raiders offense? Yeah, you know, they got a lot of good guys on offense. You know, they got a good offense.

You got Jimmy G. Like I said, Josh Jacobs and Devontae Adams. So they got a lot of weapons on their offense. And so we got to be able to shut those guys down.

You know, we haven't played the best that we can in the run game this year. And so we got to really lock in on that because Josh Jacobs is a really good running back. And so we got to be able to stop him.

And then, you know, Devontae Adams being one of the best shooters in the league, you know, we got to lock him down. And so it's going to be a good challenge for us. But you know, I'm ready for it. I'm up for the challenge. You know, I can't wait to get there on Sunday night.

You know how this works. Before the year, a lot of people were singing your team's praises. And they were saying, watch out for the Steelers. They're going to be a good team. You lose to the 49ers and everyone's off the bandwagon. Now people are jumping on board following the game against Cleveland in that Monday night football game where the defense was awesome.

You're there each and every day. What do you think this team is capable of this season? You know, we're capable of a lot. You know, and I'm just excited to go to war with these guys every week.

And, you know, we know we didn't start the season the way we wanted to. But coming out to get the victory was a step in the right direction, you know, this past week. And so I'm looking forward to taking that step again this week. And so, you know, it's another product to our game. It's another opportunity, you know, for us to show, you know, everyone's going to be watching. So it's a big opportunity for us to show what we've been working on this week and how we've been preparing.

And so, you know, I'm ready to go to war, you know, with all my guys. You know, I just can't wait for Sunday night. Last thing I'll ask you, Alex Highsmith, if I would have told you when you walked on at Charlotte, that a few years into your NFL career, you'd be a $68 million player. You'd be an AFC defensive player of the week. You and T.J. Watt would be causing havoc together as teammates up against the Cleveland Browns. What would Alex Highsmith have told me when you first walked on that Charlotte football team? My mind probably would have been blown.

I'd probably look at you like, for real? But, you know, I've always had, you know, the goal of being, you know, a top tier guy in the NFL and being someone, you know, who causes havoc and causes production. So I've always, you know, had this dream in my mind.

And, you know, it really didn't become reality for me until later in my college career, like my junior, senior year. But, you know, like I said, I'm just grateful for my journey and the process. You know, I feel like I'm process driven. I fall in love with the process. And, you know, being a walk-on has taught me a lot and it's just still the work ethic and the mentality.

I mean, I probably wouldn't have had if I earned a scholarship. So I still carry that with me today. And, you know, I'm always going to carry it with me. Well, good luck coming up against the Raiders. Once again, congratulations on winning the AFC defensive player of the week. And thanks so much for jumping on board. Always love when we get to talk to you.

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