Dec 29, 2016 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – The Steelers hadn’t started three rookies on defense since 1971, when Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Ham, end Dwight White and safety Mike Wagner all did so on their way to becoming future stars in the Steel Curtain defense.

The Steelers can only hope this year’s group of rookies is as successful.

Cornerback Artie Burns, safety Sean Davis and nose tackle Javon Hargrave, the team’s top three picks in this year’s draft, became regulars for the Steelers, but it was Davis who was voted the winner of the Joe Greene Great Performance Award as the team’s top rookie.

The award is voted on by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America.

Davis, a second-round draft pick from Maryland, has made eight starts, two as the nickel cornerback early in the season and the past six at strong safety.

Since inserting Davis at safety, the Steelers have not lost a game. Davis has been a big reason why, recording 34 tackles, a interception and half a sack.

“This is big,” Davis said Thursday as the Steelers (10-5) prepared for their regular-sesaon finale against the Cleveland Browns (1-14) Sunday at Heinz Field.

“The award is named after Joe Greene. He is a legendary Steeler and a legendary NFL player. This is very humbling.”

Davis knows a little about being humbled. He was early in the season when the Steelers, short at cornerback because of injuries to Burns and Senquez Golson, inserted him into the lineup as the slot cornerback. He had so much going on in his mind, learning to play two positions, that early in the season free safety Mike Mitchell quizzed Davis on a coverage. The rookie gave the wrong answer.

“Now, I could ask him and he would not only know what we’re doing, but what a lot of other guys are doing,” said Mitchell. “His maturity and growth from that standpoint have been outstanding.”

It helped that Davis was moved out of nickel role after a 31-13 win against the New York Jets and allowed to spend the next month concentrating solely on playing safety, the position for which the Steelers drafted him to play.

Then, in a loss to Dallas, he had a key facemask penalty that gave the Cowboys a first down in Pittsburgh territory late in the game.

“I took it from there,” Davis said. “After about four weeks of sitting, then coming back, we are 6-0 since I have been starting. I just look at that as a positive thing. I just want to continue to win and continue to get better, continue to help my team so that we can continue to win.”

With the Steelers already having clinched the AFC North title and the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs, the team will rest some starters against the Browns. But Davis, Burns and Hargrave will not be among them. Those three will continue to push each other through what has been a fruitful rookie season.

“We all want to be the best at our position,” Davis said. “We all want to dominate. At such a young, not young, but as rookies, to think like that, I feel like that is special. And it makes sense why those three names came up. We are making plays because we think like champions. Just because we are rookies, we don’t want to be the slack of the team, stuff like that. I just feel like we all have a similar mindset and same goals.”

Davis ranks fourth on the team in tackles with 60. Burns is right behind him with 56 and leads the team with three interceptions to go with 12 pass defenses. Hargrave, meanwhile, has been the starting nose tackle and has 25 tackles and two sacks.

The three have combined for 28 starts.

Defensive coordinator Keith Butler isn’t ready to put them in the same class with Ham, White and Wagner just yet.

“Ask me after the season and I’ll tell you,” Butler said. “They still make rookie mistakes. But everybody does out there. Our young guys are doing a good job. They’ve got to continue to get better.”

Linebacker Arthur Moats was voted the winner of “The Chief” award, which is given to the player who shows the best cooperation with the media. … Tight end Ladarius Green (concussion), receiver Sammie Coates (hamstring) and tight end Xavier Grimble (ribs) were limited in practice for the second consecutive day. Linebacker Anthony Chickillo (ankle), safety Robert Golden (ankle), defensive end Ricardo Mathews (ankle), linebacker Ryan Shazier (illness) and defensive end Stephon Tuitt (knee) all did not practice for the second consecutive day.