Chris Adamski stories, Page 154

When the draft ended early in the evening April 27, Ian Berryman nervously sat through some excruciating moments. “It felt like an eternity,” said Berryman, then a recent graduate of Western Carolina, “but it was probably like 5 minutes after the draft they called.” The “they” was the Pittsburgh Steelers....

One of the dark horse candidates for a Pittsburgh Steelers roster spot at the back end of the running back depth chart was a highly productive rusher at a lower-profile SEC East school. And there’s Benny Snell, too. Snell, a rookie fourth-round pick, had a school-record 3,873 rushing yards at...

Seeing Chuks Okorafor for the first time in almost five months, it stands out almost immediately. And not necessarily just because Okorafor has a new, tighter haircut that makes him appear more streamlined. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ second-year offensive tackle has slimmed down. “I’m down a little bit,” Okorafor said of...

Pittsburgh Steelers sixth-round draft pick Ulysees Gilbert has been taking reps at “Mack” inside linebacker during organized team activities the past three weeks, the rookie said Thursday from the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “It’s kind of what I did in college, weak-side ‘backer,” Gilbert said. “(But) inside linebacker is inside...

A route jumped along the sideline for an interception, prompting a sideline full of gold-jerseyed defensive players to jump up, whoop and cheer. Two practice-rep snaps later, a defender made a play on a ball, deflecting it up in the air, where Mike Hilton sprinted and dove to cradle it...

It was, on the surface, an early-practice position drill as part of the eighth of nine voluntary organized team activity sessions in early June. But T.J. Watt forced himself to perform with a fire as if it was the fourth quarter of a December game against New England. “We are...

Even JuJu Smith-Schuster’s seemingly innocuous visits to a local high school prom turn into controversy these days. Smith-Schuster, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 22-year-old star receiver, attended the Chartiers Valley High School prom last weekend. But a video surfaced on Instagram, presumably from a prom-goer, of Smith-Schuster dancing among a large crowd...

Mike Tomlin on Monday gave the Pittsburgh Steelers their annual day off away from the practice fields and meeting rooms. This year, the escape was to the Topgolf in Bridgeville. And while a number of players spoke after an organized team activity session Tuesday that it was a good team-bonding...

Ryan Shazier on Monday was named the 51st winner of the annual George Halas Award, an honor given annually by the Professional Football Writers of America to an NFL player, coach or staff member who overcomes the most adversity to succeed. Shazier underwent spinal stabilization surgery in December 2017 after...

Florida native Marcelis Branch called Allegheny County home for more than five years earlier this decade, and the Robert Morris product is back in Pittsburgh this spring. “I’m part-Yinzer now,” Branch said with a wide smile during Pittsburgh Steelers organized team activities last week at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Branch...

How much continuity has the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line had? And just how rare is that? Put it this way: Putting aside temporary injury- (or suspension-) related fill-ins, the starting five this season will undergo its first change since the middle of the 2015 season. Across the rest of the...

They overcame an early five-run deficit and took the lead from down two runs in the eighth inning. But that only made Saturday that much tougher to swallow for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Orlando Arcia hit his second homer of the game in the 13th inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat...

John Calipari regularly makes an annual stop at Pittsburgh Steelers training camp, and he’s developed a friendship with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. The same can be said of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Clint Hurdle. Calipari, the University of Kentucky basketball coach, attended Saturday’s Pirates game against the Milwaukee Brewers at...

There are plenty of reasons why Josh Bell has been one of the best players in the majors over the past month. But as the saying goes, sometimes the best ability is availability. And no one has been more available than Bell. Heading into Saturday’s game, the Pittsburgh Pirates had...

Seventy-seven times during his decade-long MLB career, Clint Hurdle pinch hit. His .243 average during those at-bats translates into simple advice to his players. “My expectations,” the Pittsburgh Pirates manager said, “are to let them know that they can’t do bad.” The Pirates are doing anything but bad when pinch...

Keone Kela felt fine after his most recent rehab appearance, and the Pittsburgh Pirates medical team was ready to plot its next move for getting the reliever back on the active roster. But after a couple of days of long toss followed by a bullpen session Thursday, it became apparent...

Another of the principle protagonists of the heyday of the Pittsburgh Steelers-Baltimore Ravens rivalry is retiring. And this one cites one of the height of the rivalry’s most infamous plays as one that stood out most. Speaking at a news conference in Baltimore on Wednesday that both announced his retirement...

All of Derwin Gray’s 25 starts at the University of Maryland over the past three years were at left tackle. It’s taken all of nine on-field Pittsburgh Steelers team workouts for the seventh-round pick to quadruple his positional résumé in the NFL. “I pretty much have played at all four...

Much of the post-draft chatter surrounding Pittsburgh Steelers sixth-round pick Sutton Smith concerned whether the All-American pass rusher would play on the edge or at inside linebacker in the NFL. Turns out, there was another yet unexplored position for Smith. Smith confirmed Thursday that he has spent time at fullback...

When he was a rookie last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers tried to keep Jaylen Samuels as entrenched as a traditional, fulltime running back as possible. Now that he’s been a pro and as part of the offense for a full year, Samuels is ready to spread his wings as the...

Sean Davis shared an inside joke with a longtime teammate. He spoke like a proud father about the strides another player has made entering his second season. And he talked about his burgeoning role as a leader on the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. In short, everything Davis was saying and doing...

One of the players most experienced with the Pittsburgh Steelers defense has been absent through the first five organized team activity sessions. Sean Davis has been in street clothes over the past two weeks at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex while teammates drilled “football in shorts.” One of only three...

Being the de facto incumbent hasn’t given the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Matt Feiler any advantage in the competition for the starting right tackle job. Longtime starter Marcus Gilbert was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in March. Other than using a seventh-round draft choice on Derwin Gray, the Steelers didn’t do much...

Miles Sanders was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles less than five weeks ago, and the former Woodland Hills High School and Penn State star running back signed his NFL entry-level contract less than three weeks ago. Perhaps his first major purchase wasn’t for himself. Sanders bought his mother a new...

Vance McDonald was asked how the Steelers offense not only could withstand the offseason departures of former All-Pros Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell but also excel. “Because we have to,” the veteran tight end deadpanned, then paused. “That sounded really good if I just left it at that.” It was...