the clubhouse culture.

[officialsbaseball]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Steelers survived one week without Le’Veon Bell.

Maybe they can do it again.

Making his first NFL start Mike Daniels Jersey , James Conner helped Pittsburgh forget that Bell — the team’s disgruntled star running back — isn’t around and may not be back anytime soon.

Conner scored two touchdowns, rushed for 135 yards and added 57 more on five catches as the Steelers escaped Sunday with a 21-21 tie against the Cleveland Browns, who ended their 17-game losing streak without winning.

Conner was more than an adequate fill-in for Bell, who remains separated from the Steelers in an ugly contract dispute.

While his teammates slopped around in the rain at FirstEnergy Stadium, Bell continued his holdout in South Florida as his replacement gave the Steelers hope they’ll be able to withstand not having one of their biggest stars.

Conner could be their newest one.

The anti-Bell.

“I’m so tired of Le’Veon,” Steelers right guard David DeCastro told reporters. “I’m so tired of it. Let’s just worry about the guys that are here. I know you guys have stories to write and what not. I love Le’Veon, but we have to worry about the guys that are here. That’s the only people that matter.”

Conner scored on a 4-yard run in the second quarter and added a 22-yarder in the fourth as the Steelers opened a 21-7 lead that appeared safe.

However, as Pittsburgh appeared on the verge of putting the Browns away, Conner had his lone blemish on an otherwise stellar day.

Running right, Conner got stripped by Browns end Myles Garrett and his fumble led to the Browns quickly scoring two touchdowns in the final 7:32 to force overtime.

Cleveland had a chance to win it, but linebacker T.J. Watt added a blocked field goal to his four-sack game by getting a hand on Zane Gonzalez’s 43-yard field-goal attempt with 9 seconds left.

Bell’s messy situation cast a shadow over the Steelers all week, bringing a distraction to a team that usually avoids drama. The stand-off could last for a while, and if it does http://www.greenbaypackersteamonline.com/aaron-jones-jersey , Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin, his staff and the Steelers have to feel better about what Conner can provide.

“He did some really great things,” said superstar receiver Antonio Brown. “He ran well and brought great energy all day. I was excited to see him make some plays, not only in the run game, but in the pass game as well.”

On a day when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger struggled throwing three interceptions and fumbling twice, Conner was solid and steady.

“Pressure is always there,” said Conner, who survived a cancer scare while he was at Pitt. “You’re either feeling pressure or applying pressure. I was trying to apply the pressure today. There were no nerves or nothing. Just playing football.”

It looked that way. Conner patiently looked for running lanes, taking what Cleveland’s defense gave him and never trying to do too much.

The 23-year-old finished with 192 total yards, matching Bell’s best game from last season.

“I thought he played well,” said Roethlisberger, who struggled from the outset. “Ran hard, caught the ball well. Made plays for us. I’m proud of the way he played for this team.”

Conner took it all in stride. Following the game Russell Bodine Jersey , he casually accepted congratulations while dressing and came across as composed off the field as he was on it.

“It is what I expect,” he said of his performance. “It’s the mentality of our offense. We feel like we’re going to run the ball when we want to run the ball so I know the mentality of those guys up front. I knew the lanes were going to be there. I knew today was going to be a good day on the ground, just not enough to win.

“I have confidence in myself and the guys in front of me blocking, so it’s what we expect to do.”

Even the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs is excited to see what Patrick Mahomes II can do.

Clark Hunt doesn't seem worried about putting too much pressure on his young quarterback, either.

The chairman and most visible face of the ownership family said after Saturday's training camp session at Missouri Western State University that he's looking forward to seeing Mahomes under center when the Chiefs open their preseason schedule Thursday night against Houston.

He's is eager for what the second-year pro can do for seasons to come, too.

"There's a lot of excitement here in Kansas City and really around the country about Patrick. He is a young man with a lot of skills, has a very high ceiling," Hunt said. "He's going through the process in learning what it means to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. That learning process will continue during the preseason and I'm sure once we get to the regular season."

Mahomes is taking over on a full-time basis from Alex Smith, who was traded to Washington despite the best year of his career. And the fact that Kansas City is pinning its hopes on its first homegrown quarterback in a generation has energized an already fervent fan base.

Season-ticket sales are robust, and there were about 6,000 fans at practice on Saturday.

"It's very exciting for the franchise from a long-term perspective," Hunt said. "If you can develop your own quarterback who can play at the top of the league, you can create an opportunity over the course of a decade to win a championship Skai Moore Jersey , and that's what we hope Patrick does for us."

No pressure, kid.

Hunt has also noticed what many others have this offseason: Chiefs coach Andy Reid has an extra bounce in his step, a byproduct of the fun he's having working with a new, young quarterback.

"I know that's a hard thing to imagine when you're talking about Andy," Hunt said in his annual training camp availability, "but truthfully he seems energized. And that goes all the way back to the preseason, the chance to take a quarterback and mold him, something he's had a lot of success at."

In other news, Hunt declined to discuss the dispute between the league and its players when it comes to protesting during the national anthem. "There's really nothing to report," Hunt said. "Until the league tells us what the policy is, there's nothing really to talk about."

Hunt did say he's spoken to the Chiefs individually and collectively about social justice initiatives, and that the organization was willing to provide human resources and financial resources to help players make a difference with causes that they care about.

"That's not something new for the Chiefs. It's something that's been going on here in Kansas City since my dad brought the team here in 1963," Hunt said. "I've challenged the players to go out there and make a difference http://www.washingtonredskinsteamonline.com/zach-brown-jersey , and there's so many that have a great heart and want to spend the time."

Hunt also said the Chiefs are content with using Missouri Western as their training camp base, even though the majority of NFL franchises now hold camp at their usual practice facility.

Hunt and Reid both like the old-school idea of team-building that occurs at camp, even though it's only an hours' drive from Kansas City. Missouri Western has also built and improved its facilities to the point they rival most major colleges and professional franchises.

He also praised the work done by general manager Brett Veach, who has made several controversial moves since taking over last year. Among them was dealing talented but temperamental cornerback Marcus Peters to the Rams, a clear attempt at improving the clubhouse culture.

"One thing we really care about as a franchise is the culture and character of the team," Hunt said. "That's something very important to Brett. As he brought in players in free agency and the draft, he made sure those players would be positive contributors to the character of the football team."

NOTES: OLs Cam Erving (knee) and Eric Fisher (shoulder) did not practice, nor did LBs Reggie Ragland (knee) and Anthony Hitchens (hamstring). None of the injuries to the four starters is thought to be serious. ... CB Keith Reaser (quad), LB Tanoh Kpassagnon (heel) and FS Leon McQuay (hamstring) were limited in practice. It's unclear if any will play in the preseason opener.

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