Jul 31, 2013 5 min read

LATROBE – When the Steelers re-signed veteran cornerback William Gay during the offseason, many fans were in shock.

They couldn’t believe the Steelers were going to allow young, promising cornerback Keenan Lewis to leave as a free agent and replace him with Gay, who had just been released by the Arizona Cardinals after just one season.

Gay, who spent the first five seasons of his career with the Steelers, doesn’t mind. He knew all along that he would be returning at some point to the team that selected him in the fifth round of the 2007 draft.

In fact, Gay said he had it from the highest authority, team chairman Dan Rooney, that he would be welcome to come back.

“I kept the relationship with the Steelers, with Mr. Rooney,” said Gay. “As soon as I signed, I flew back here and did an event for the Women’s Center & Shelter. I went straight to the facility. He was like, ‘There are no hard feelings. You signed a two-year deal, so you’ll probably be right back here.’ I was like, ‘Cool.’ “

The Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh is a charity that is close to Gay’s heart. It’s been 20 years since Gay’s life was changed by a domestic violence incident, but you can still see the sadness in his eyes when he speaks of it.

Gay’s mother, Corine Hall, was the victim of a murder-suicide at the hands of his stepfather when the second of her three sons was just 8 years old.

It left a void that no amount of success can ever replace.

“It gets tough (at times like) graduation year, senior night, the Super Bowl. Those times get tough,” said Gay, now 28. “I’ve got thick skin, throughout the season, I’m always like, ‘I’m playing for her,’ and keep an even keel. But those big moments, big stages, you look up in the stands and there’s a little sigh. I wish she was right there in the stands.”

Those moments, when others around him are celebrating and enjoying the moment with their loved ones are difficult.

“I try to stay strong and keep stride,” Gay said.

It’s because of the incident with his mother that Gay has become very active in several anti-domestic violence campaigns. Earlier this year, he was honored at Safe Horizon’s 18th Annual Champion Awards Dinner, while in 2012, he received the Ted Craig Humanitarian Award from the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh.

“The situation with my mother, her going through domestic violence, just coming across that organization, I didn’t know anything about it,” Gay said. “It saves people’s lives. If my mother had the opportunity to be in an organization like that, maybe she’d still be here today to see me play in the NFL.”

While the Steelers were certainly happy to get someone who is as involved with the community as Gay has been back with the team, they were also to get Gay the player back to help ease the loss of not only Lewis, but reserve safeties Will Allen and Ryan Mundy as well.

Now, the Steelers can add Gay to a defensive backfield that includes Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen at corner and Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu at safety.

In fact, with Allen still sidelined by a sore knee, Gay has been working the past few days here at St. Vincent College with the first-team defense.

“I’m excited about Will coming back,” said Steelers defensive backs coach Carnell Lake. “We lost two veterans at the safety position, so we were missing some really experienced guys who had knowledge of the defense. Will brings that back to us. Not only that, Will is versatile. He can play nickel, corner, and in a pinch, he can play safety. Not only do we get a guy with experience back there, we get a guy who is versatile.

“We’ve got good experience with three of our starters. Will coming back just adds to that. It’s hard to get that, especially in today’s games when free agents are going everywhere.”

Gay, who had 60 tackles, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and one sack last season for Arizona, said he is enjoying being back on the field with his former teammates. More importantly, he’s looking forward to helping the Steelers win after suffering through a 5-11 season last year in Arizona.

“When you go 5-11, you pretty much know early on that there’s not going to be any playoffs,” Gay said.

“I can’t wait until the season starts, just to play with those guys. You’ve got two big corners on the edge that you’re going to have to go through them. That’s what we need with the Steelers, hard-nosed corners. That’s what I call them. That’s what we pride ourselves on. We don’t take no mess from nobody.”

Rookie defensive end Nick Williams (knee) has joined the list of injured players. Williams was unable to finish practice Wednesday. Also sitting out again Wednesday were cornerbacks Allen (knee), Terry Hawthorne (knee) and DeMarcus Van Dyke (hamstring). Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that Van Dyke’s injury could be serious. … The Steelers’ annual Friday night practice at Latrobe High School Stadium has been moved to St. Vincent College because of issues with the grass at the stadium. Players will be available to sign autographs beginning at 5 p.m., with practice starting at 5:30. A concert and fireworks display will follow practice. There are no admission costs.