Pittsburgh ? It sneaks up on many NFL rookies about this time every season. The sport that always was a joy suddenly turns into a 9-to-5 job.

Back in college, when training camps opened three weeks after NFL camps did and the season ended about three weeks earlier, they would be relaxing or getting ready for a bowl game about now.

Steelers receiver Antwaan Randle El is feeling it, just as dozens of other rookies around the NFL are. They’re experiencing by far the longest football year of their lives, one that still has three more weeks of the regular season and perhaps a month’s worth of playoffs remaining.

Now, the games seem to be coming on top of one another, with barely enough time to catch a breath or get over a nagging injury before the next one arrives. The daily meetings grow longer and more tedious, the practices drain the mind and body like never before.

Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher has seen the longer pro season catch up to numerous rookies. He knows he might be seeing it now in the 5-foot-9, 190-pound Randle El, the former Indiana QB turned NFL receiver.

Randle El caught a season-high eight passes for 88 yards Sunday in a 24-6 loss to Houston, only the second time in 13 games he has had more than 51 yards receiving. But he also lost two fumbles, one on a punt return, and was replaced on two punts by Hank Poteat.

“No rookie is ever going to admit (he is wearing down),” Cowher said. “It is a long year, a grinding year. But he works hard and is very proud, and I think he will be all right.”

Randle El, however, did admit it, saying the NFL grind began getting him during Week 11, a 35-23 Steelers loss to Tennessee. He made five catches for 26 yards in that game, but made only two for 10 yards the next two weeks.

His kickoff return average has dropped below his season average of 23.7 in five of his last six games, and he hasn’t had a punt return of longer than 15 yards since the Tennessee game on Nov. 17.

His fumble on a Houston punt in the fourth quarter led to the Kris Brown field goal that put the Texans up by 11 points and essentially sealed their victory.

“This is as low as it gets,” Randle El said. “I think there is such a thing as it for some guys. But I haven’t hit the wall where I feel I can’t go anymore.”

With Tommy Maddox back at quarterback, Randle El hopes he will see the ball like he did Sunday. With 42 catches for 439 yards, he is third on the team in receptions behind Hines Ward and Plaxico Burress, and he has 118 yards rushing.

Randle El has also lined up occasionally at quarterback, as he did Sunday for two plays, and has completed 5 of 6 passes for 31 yards.

The Steelers’ decision to draft Randle El rather than former Pitt All-American receiver Antonio Bryant met with some debate in Pittsburgh, and remains a matter of argument.

Bryant, picked by the Dallas Cowboys on the second round immediately after the Steelers took Randle El, has fewer catches (31) but more yardage (498) and a bigger per-catch average than Randle El, 16.1 to 10.5.

Bryant also has four touchdowns to Randle El’s none, although Randle El did have a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown against Cincinnati.

“I’m getting a chance to make some plays and, for the most part, I’ve been making them,” Randle El said. “I’ve made a few mistakes but, other than that, I feel like I’m having a pretty good season.”