Q&A: Lawrence Timmons

Q&A: Lawrence Timmons

Aug 03, 2015
Jim Wexell
Publisher SteelCityInsider.net

http://imgix.scout.com/156/1562062.jpg?w=600&fit=max

Jim Wexell goes one-on-one with the "Law Dawg," Lawrence Timmons, the Steelers' playcalling, Pro Bowl inside linebacker.

Lawrence Timmons, inside linebackers, Pittsburgh Steelers

Q: I hear the nickname "Law Dawg" so much that I want to call you that instead of Lawrence. Would you be mad?
A: Not at all. (Pause) I'd never be mad at you, come on.

Q: Well, you're a linebacker so you never know. I've seen James go up and down with me.
A: (Laughs) James a good dude, man.

Q: I know. I enjoy him. But how did your nickname come about?
A: Mike Tomlin gave it to me. You know, the Law in Lawrence.

Q: Yes. But when did it start?
A: It started a long time ago, like four or five years ago.

Q: I remember backs-on-backers when you were young, maybe your second year. Someone had to wear a neck brace the day after tangling with you. Tomlin uses you first to set a tone, it seems, but you seem to have more mercy on your younger teammates these days than you did back when you were the young guy.
A: Of course. You get older and you start to see what you do to people and you look at it and say, 'Nah, I can't do that to a guy.' I'm just out here trying to get better and just be smart about it. You've got to save your bullets. You can't just go out here and blast everybody like I did when I was younger. Who cared then? You could heal the next day. But now I have to be smart about it.

Q: Especially going against a guy like Le'Veon Bell. He's a bit of a key.
A: Right. He's our best player on offense, running back for us. He takes a lot of shots and I don't want to be the reason he's not playing for us, you know what I mean?

Q: In backs-on-backers, he's got to be scared of you then. But in coverage drills, when Tomlin always starts off with you covering Bell one-on-one, aren't you scared of him there?
A: Not scared of him, no. But you know it's tougher for me. I take it as a challenge, and it's a challenge I'm willing to take. Anything that he does to make me look bad, I take it as a challenge to be better the next play.

Q: He's got to be making you better, isn't he?
A: He's the best in the league, hands down. The best receiving running back in the league, hands down. Absolutely he's making me better.

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