Rooney Says that Wallace Should be at Minicamp

Art Rooney II is unhappy that Pro Bowl receiver Mike Wallace is not at the team’s three day minicamp.

“He should be here,” Rooney said today at Steelers minicamp.

Coach Mike Tomlin said he isn’t as concerned about Wallace missing the conditioning aspect of the offseason training activities and minicamp. But he also said he would prefer that his fourth-year receiver be here with the rest of his teammates.

“Mike has always been guy who’s in tip top condition over a 12-month calendar since we had him,” Tomlin said. “He’s a sharp guy. I’m sure he’s working at the learning element of it. But there’s no substitute for being here and being around your teammates and learning the nuances and learning from other people’s mistakes.”

“It’s probably short-term misery. Hopefully there will be some closure to this and it will be in our rear view mirror. Right now, he’d be better served if he were here working.”

Wallace has been vocal in not being around, wanting a deal that mirrors or is better than the one that Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald got. The Steelers have never paid WR’s big money – and I can’t see them starting that trend now with Wallace.