PITTSBURGH — Former University of North Dakota defensive tackle Ty Boyle of International Falls will be back playing football on a college campus in late July — only this time he will be putting on the pads as a professional.
Boyle was one of 18 undrafted free agents to sign a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League on Tuesday.
Boyle, a two-year starter at UND, earned second team All-Great West Conference honors for the second straight season in 2010 after finishing with 38 tackles, a sack and an interception. He was also a standout in the classroom, earning All-Great West academic honors three times and a spot in the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame’s Hampshire Honor Society.
“My agent called me (Tuesday) morning and let me know the Steelers were interested in offering me a spot in their training camp,” Boyle said. “My goal since leaving UND was to get into a camp and Pittsburgh came across as the best situation for me to do that.”
The Steelers will report to camp on Thursday where Boyle and his new teammates will begin practicing at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. This will be the 46th year the Steelers will train at Saint Vincent College and the 45th season that the team’s entire training camp has taken place in Latrobe.
“I am ready to go,” Boyle, who was in Pittsburgh Tuesday to sign his contract, said. “I have continued to work hard and market myself for this opportunity over the past several months and hopefully I can show the Steelers’ coaching staff just what type of football player I can be for this organization.”
Boyle’s first official professional practice will take place Friday. The Steelers open their preseason schedule on Aug. 12 at FedEx Field against the Washington Redskins.
