Dick LeBeau said he never expected to hear his name mentioned Saturday night when former Steelers cornerback Rod Woodson was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And, of course, he never expected to hear it mentioned in the manner it was -- Woodson using his acceptance speech to implore the voters to put LeBeau in the Hall of Fame.

"I was surprised, certainly," said LeBeau, who was the secondary coach and defensive coordinator during Woodson's final five years with the Steelers. "The night was all about Rod, but that's Rod. He would share and deflect.

"I did not expect to hear my name in Rod Woodson's acceptance speech, but what a tremendous honor it is that it was in there. What a great compliment to me that he spoke of me in that light."

Woodson had 71 interceptions during his 17-year NFL career, ranking third all time. But that was only nine more than LeBeau (62), who ranks seventh in NFL history.

But it wasn't just LeBeau's contribution as a player that Woodson endorsed. He said LeBeau deserves to be in the Hall of Fame because he has spent 51 seasons in the NFL as a player and coach.

"I hope the voters, seriously, get it right," Woodson said during his speech. "He deserves to be in as a player, and if you don't put him as a player, you put him in as a contributor. He deserves it. The voters will get tired of hearing me saying it -- Dick LeBeau deserves to be in the Hall of Fame."

LeBeau said he has always tried to express to his players that he cares more about them as a person than as a player.

"Sometimes it's kind of nice to get some feedback that you made some right moves in the past," said LeBeau, 71, who is in his sixth season during his second tour of duty as defensive coordinator. "And when you get former players talking about you like that, it makes you feel maybe you did something right.

"The bottom line with Rod Woodson, he did 100 times more for me than I did for him."

Just several days after they brought him in for a workout, the Steelers signed former Ohio State center Alex Stepanovich to bolster the depth on their offensive line.

Stepanovich (6-4, 296) was one of two centers who worked out last week for the Steelers after guard Darnell Stapleton had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Stapleton, who is expected to be out two to four weeks, had been filling in at center because Justin Hartwig (toe) has been limited in practice and not taken part in team drills.

"We wanted to go into Thursday night with another interior lineman," coach Mike Tomlin said. "Darnell won't be participating and, in all likelihood, Justin Hartwig will not. We'll see about getting [Stepanovich] up to speed."

Stepanovich was a former fourth-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2004 and played three seasons there before playing one season each with Cincinnati ('07) and Atlanta ('08). He has played in 46 NFL games, starting 34.

To make room on the roster, the Steelers released defensive end Jordan Reffert.

It's only a preseason game, and the first one at that, so there probably won't be much playing time for Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, who tortured the Steelers and Stapleton in the Super Bowl.

Dockett was credited with three sacks in Super Bowl XLIII, tying a record held by Hall of Fame defensive end Reggie White. However, he will be lining against tackle/guard Trai Essex when the Steelers and Cardinals meet Thursday night at Heinz Field because Stapleton is out with a knee injury.

Stapleton said he was responsible for two of the sacks by Dockett, then quickly added, "Actually, only one [was] on me.

"I thought I played pretty well in the Super Bowl. I never heard any criticism. Everyone is going to be a critic. Someone is going to have something to say about something. I can't take it personally."

Asked about the sacks, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said it is concerning anytime "you put a good player over guys and he beats him." Then he added, "But when it counted in the end, he was there. I have all the faith in Darnell."

Nose tackle <strong>Casey Hampton</strong> (knee) and running back <strong>Willie Parker</strong> (back spasms) were held out of practice again, but Tomlin said they should be back "soon." ... Former linebacker <strong>Levon Kirkland</strong> was at training camp yesterday and will work with the linebackers this week as a coaching intern. Former Steelers linebacker <strong>Earl Holmes</strong> did that last week.... Pitt basketball coach <strong>Jamie Dixon</strong> and athletic director <strong>Steve Pederson</strong> attended the afternoon practice, the first time either of them had been to training camp. ... Today's afternoon practice will be the final one open to the public before Thursday night's preseason opener against the Cardinals.