PITTSBURGH — Cam Sutton doesn’t believe he has to prove anything to anyone as the veteran Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back attempts to hit the reset button on his career.

Sitting at his locker Monday, his first full day back at work in two months after serving an eight-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, the 29-year-old is more focused on trying to get himself together. carve out a niche on a team that is doing very well without him.

The Steelers enter the second half of the season atop the AFC North with a 6-2 record, with undrafted rookie free agent Beanie Bishop and his three interceptions doing very well while taking some of the snaps created by the absence of Sutton.

Sutton hasn’t been invisible during the suspension — he said he’s been able to attend some meetings, for example — but now finds himself, as coach Mike Tomlin likes to frequently say, trying to get on a train in progress.

“I worked and did everything I had to do to stay ready,” Sutton said.

And come out of a difficult chapter in his career and his life.

Sutton spent the first six seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, creating a role that relied heavily on his versatility before signing a $33 million contract with Detroit in the spring of 2023. He lasted just one year with the Lions , who released him in March after a warrant was issued for Sutton’s arrest in Florida following a domestic incident.

The case ended with Sutton entering a pretrial diversion program in April after the charges were reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor battery. His agreement with prosecutors required Sutton to undergo a mental health evaluation.

The Steelers took a flyer on Sutton, bringing him back on a one-year deal in June despite knowing he still faced potential sanctions from the league. He served in various positions during training camp before serving his suspension.

Sutton is eager to do whatever is asked of a defense that ranks second in the NFL in points allowed, fourth in takeaways and ninth in yards.

“I play football, man,” he said. “I don’t care what position it is. I could be on the offensive line, I don’t really care.

Pittsburgh is relatively well positioned at cornerback, where Joey Porter Jr. has spent his sophomore season showing signs of becoming one of the elite players at the position and Donte Jackson has already picked off three passes.

Sutton figures to fit more into the nickel position he thrived in during his first stint with the team, although Bishop, an undrafted rookie free agent out of West Virginia, has more than held his own.

“He’s really enjoying the ball right now,” Sutton said of Bishop. “Just take each day one day at a time and good things will happen to it.”

Linebacker Patrick Queen doesn’t see Sutton’s return as a threat to Bishop’s playing time, but as a chance for one of the league’s best defenses to improve further.

“(He’s) a physical cat, a guy who can cover,” Queen said. “Just the utmost confidence that he’s going to communicate really well.”

The defense Sutton returned to doesn’t look much different than the one he left after 2022. Minkah Fitzpatrick still quarterbacks the defense from its safety spot. TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith are still one of the best power forward tandems in the league. Cam Heyward still poses a problem for opponents as a defensive tackle.

If anything, the Steelers have only evolved on that side of the ball, mixing it with different substitution packages that can create matchup problems.

“We do a great job of giving teams different looks, getting after quarterbacks like we should and obviously winning the field position game, getting off the field, causing turnovers and getting the ball for our offense,” Sutton said.

Sutton was impressed by what he saw on film. He’s looking forward to returning his perspective to the one he’s accustomed to during NFC East leader Pittsburgh’s surprise visit to Washington on Sunday.

“I love our group,” Sutton said. “I like the continuity of our guys. I’ve spent a lot of time with our guys, a group that’s just hungry, loves playing together and is just excited to be back with the guys.

Sutton hasn’t given much insight into his development off the field, saying only he knows what he needs to do to “see the big picture.”

The smaller picture will become clear next weekend when Sutton’s number 20 could return to the field in a match that counts for the first time in 10 months.

“It’s hard being outside, not doing what you love to do,” he said. “(But) I’m ready to roll. Whatever it is, whatever (they ask me), I’m ready to roll.”