Ingram enjoying his new team
The Pittsburgh Steelers made a big move this offseason when they signed experienced outside linebacker Melvin Ingram from the Los Angeles Chargers. Ingram had spent his entire nine-year NFL career with the Chargers organization but was ready for a change of scenery.
He seems to have found the perfect place to rejuvenate his career. When speaking to the media, the 32-year-old could not hide his excitement about playing in Pittsburgh.
“I feel 18,” Ingram said, via NFL.com. “I’m a kid. I’ve still got a lot left in me. I love football and my body feels great.”
Ingram only managed to feature in seven games last season for Los Angeles due to recurring knee injuries, but he is confident that he is ready to go for the upcoming campaign and that he is healthy.
“Had an injury last year, but that’s a part of the game. It’s a physical sport. Right now I’m 100, 200 percent healthy. I feel amazing.”
Prior to last year, Ingram had been regarded as one of the league’s best edge pass rushers and that is the player the Steelers are hoping they have signed. Ingram has no doubts that he made the right decision in joining Pittsburgh.
“I just felt like the program, the coaches, the team, everybody,” he said, “it was a place I felt like I could call home, a place I can come in and fit in. Everything was amazing here, down to the coaches, the players, the city, just how they do everything. They welcomed me with open arms.”
Ingram only inked a one-year deal with the Steelers last week so neither the player nor club are committed long-term if things don’t work out exactly as planned. Ingram has bounced back from injuries before and is hoping he will be able to do so once again.
While he is thankful to the Chargers organization for all they have done for him during his first nine seasons in the league, he told members of the media that he is only looking forward and is motivated by what’s to come.
“That has no motivation for me,” Ingram said. “It’s a business. I understand the business. I’m not a person that gets salty about it. They changed my life. Nine years ago, they changed my life. Ten years ago, they changed my life. That’s no motivation for me. Me, waking up and doing my work every day is all the motivation. I’ve got two kids and a family. My family, my girl, my kids, that’s what motivates me.”
The Steelers are hoping to get back to form and make a deep playoff run next season after crashing out of the Wild Card Round against the Cleveland Browns on home field last year. They did still manage to win their first division title since 2017 though. However, their last Super Bowl victory came back in 2008 and they are hoping with the addition of an experienced veteran like Ingram that they will have an opportunity to get back to the league’s most prestigious game.
