Jamel Dean Showed Off His Wheels
October 23rd, 2022Last week in that horrid loss to the Steelers, one guy who kept the Bucs in the game was cornerback Jamel Dean. And it had nothing to do with his defense.
To open the second half with the Steelers up 10-9, Steven Sims damned near housed a kick return on the Bucs. But it was Dean who flew down the middle of the field and caught Sims from behind preventing a touchdown. Still, it was an 89-yard return.
The Steelers would later kick a field goal but Dean’s play saved four critical points in a tight game.
Joe talked with Dean about that play last week and Dean said it came down to one thing: Pride.
“I cared,” Dean said. “I cared. I can’t have somebody take it 80, 90, 100 yards on us and house it. Can’t have that.”
So he busted his tail end down the field and demonstrated his wheels. In a way, Dean said he thought it was cool he showed the NFL world he has mad speed.
“That was more like a pride thing,” Dean said. “I know I am fast but it was a time to show people how fast I really am.
“When you play corner, you really don’t [get to show off your speed]. You really don’t run full speed at corner. If you do, you are panicking.”
Dean told Joe that after the game, a couple of Steelers assistants came up to him and gave him props on the touchdown-saving tackle.
The way Dean ran, maybe he should get a test run at kick or punt returns? Couldn’t hurt.
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October 23rd, 2022 at 1:09 am
Thanks, Keith Armstrong. If not for you, Jamel and our starting corners wouldn’t need to be playing kickoff return duty, but since you can’t coach up the backups like most teams, yeah. Here we are.
October 23rd, 2022 at 1:42 am
Noooo freaking way should he be returning kicks. Remember how we were calling for heads to roll when Carlton got hurt on kickoff coverage?? Imagine Dean, absolutely balling out on his contract year, getting hurt returning. Then we’d have at this moment starting: Zyon and Delaney.
October 23rd, 2022 at 7:15 am
Dean is the best defensive player on this team right now… Protect him!!
October 23rd, 2022 at 7:37 am
This is not track and field, it’s football cover your guy or zone and make some picks, the rest means squat.
October 23rd, 2022 at 9:02 am
I still would like to see his speed. NextGen said the returner had the 5th fastest MPH in NFL this year on that run, so I would like to see Dean’s speed. Does every player have sensors in their equipment, or is it a select few?
October 23rd, 2022 at 10:01 am
Dean was clocked at 22 mph on the pick six against Aaron Rodgers a while back. Pretty sure he ran in the 4.3’s coming out of Auburn.
October 23rd, 2022 at 10:46 am
It was a great play. Nice of the Steelers staff to give him props.
October 23rd, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Dean was 4.29 at the combine coming off multiple knee surgeries in college. When Dean came into the NFL he had the fastest combine 40 for corners currently active.