Woodley Says He and Team Will Have a Long-Term Deal Once Lockout Ends

LaMarr Woodley is ready for a huge breakout year for the Steelers in 2011, (that is if there’s a season), and he spoke to 93.7 The Fan in the Steel City about a couple of topics, including the team proving the league wrong year in and year out, and also his future in Pittsburgh.

“Oh definitely, every year they talk about our defense being an old group, but every year we seem to prove everybody wrong and be a contender in the Super Bowl,” Woodley told 93.7 The Fan. “So we’re not worried about how our team is aging. When he comes in he’s going to be with a bunch of veteran guys, guys like Aaron Smith showing him the way. He’s really going to learn a lot and he’s really going to help us win this year.”

Woodley said he’s remaining in shape during the lockout.

“No disadvantage at all,” he said. “When we were in OTAs, most of the time it was watching film and practice maybe lasted an hour. So that don’t put us at a disadvantage at all, there’s no contact involved. It’s not like it’s full speed. Once we get to “training camp, everybody’s on the same playing field.”

Woodley is the Steelers’ franchise player, but expects to eventually work out a long-term deal once there’s a new collective bargaining agreement.

“They told me once the CBA was worked out or whatever that we were going to work out a long-term deal,” Woodley said. “So either way it goes, hopefully we’re working on something when everything gets figured out. The approach I was taking and always take is ‘things you can’t control, don’t be upset about it, don’t worry about it.’ That was out of my control whether the Steelers wanted to sign me to a long-term deal.

“So I wasn’t worried about it. I had a few interviews and sometimes people asked me questions, I just tell them what’s on my mind and sometimes they can get taken the wrong way. But I wasn’t one of those guys who was really concerned with their contract situation because I wasn’t going to let that be a distraction towards me or my teammates going into the season because I knew the ultimate goal was going to the Super Bowl.”