Bishop Isn’t Letting His Hair Down in 2025 – Braids Are on the Way
by Bo Marchionte
Published May 27, 2025, 01:37 PM
Pittsburgh, PA – On the first day of organized team activities, undrafted rookie cornerback Beanie Bishop walked into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ facility with a leaner frame, a sharper focus, and the same relentless mindset that carried him through the 2024 NFL Draft process.
For Bishop, every day is another chance to prove he belongs, not just in the building, but in the league.
“Picking up weight is easy,” Bishop said, “but I wanted to break my body down, slim down a little bit, get my body fat percentage down. That’s been a real focus.”
The grind began as soon as his first NFL offseason kicked off. Bishop made a point to stay close to the facility, learning, working, and making himself visible.
“I stayed around the building a lot, just showing my face,” he said. “Being an undrafted guy — you can’t lose that edge, ever. I was here four or five days out the week, working with the strength coaches, working on my hips, hamstrings, just making sure I can stay healthy through camp and the season.”
His goal was clear: don’t just make the team — grow into a real contributor.
The motivation is never far away. The Steelers brought in a seventh-round pick this year who also plays in the secondary and returns kicks — competition is part of the game.
“They always bringing guys in,” Bishop said. “That pick, he’s here to take my spot. So, it’s not really my spot. It’s my spot right now. You just gotta keep working, keep that competitive edge.”
But rather than getting caught up in roster math or contract chatter, Bishop is keeping his focus simple.
“No, man, I’m not too much worried about that,” he said. “I’m worried about stacking these days. Stack the weeks. Stack the months. Stack the years. When the time comes, I want to still be playing in the league, making a lot of plays, Pro Bowl, All-Pro, Super Bowl — whatever it is. That’s what I’m chasing.”
One of the biggest adjustments for Bishop came off the field. His transformation started with his diet. Determined to reshape his body for the demands of the NFL, he committed to a complete overhaul of his eating habits.
“I just lost a lot of fat,” he said. “It was a long process. Especially with my baking stuff — guys are like, ‘How you do that with the bacon?’ I used to bring sweets in here. But I cut back on fried food, started making a lot of stuff myself, meal prepping, weighing everything.”
He even leaned on technology — and a little AI guidance.
“I was on ChatGPT like, ‘Yo, what’s good if I’m trying to eat this many calories?’” he said, laughing. “Weighing my protein, using a smart scale that tracks everything.”
He’s now got a breakfast routine locked in.
“Three eggs, three slices of turkey bacon, two slices of toast — simple. No jelly or anything. Just keeping it clean.”
And with OTAs ramping up, he’s adjusted again.
“Since we’re training more, the calorie intake goes up a bit, but I try to keep things consistent.”
Bishop’s discipline isn’t just physical. His mental approach — staying hungry, staying around the team, and refusing to be comfortable — defines who he is and how he wants to be remembered.
It’s a tough road for any undrafted rookie, but Bishop isn’t here to count odds. He’s here to make plays.
And he’s betting that daily work, seen or unseen, will be what separates him in the long run.
“Just gotta keep showing up,” Bishop said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com
