Steelers/NFL category, Page 169
Tim Benz: Steelers defensive line a ‘sneaky good’ spot for competition at training camp
Coming into the Steelers 2023 training camp, there were many storylines to track. • Who would win the left tackle job on offense? • Could all those new faces in the secondary come together on defense? • Will the offense become more explosive with Kenny Pickett at the helm in...
First Call: New Bill Cowher documentary; Benny Snell has a new team; ex-Steelers WR breaks wrist
Friday’s “First Call” is full of Steelers-related notes, including a new film project centered around former coach Bill Cowher. A pair of former Steelers running backs have new homes. The franchise seems to have interest in a running back cast aside by the Dallas Cowboys. And the team won’t face...
Ben Roethlisberger: ‘Kevin Colbert and them drafted him to be my center my last year. Now he is playing fullback’
One of the more discussed storylines of Steelers training camp this past week has been the team’s decision to tinker with offensive lineman Kendrick Green at fullback. The 2021 third-round pick out of Illinois has shown some ability to play the position, opening eyes with a few blocks, runs and...
5 things to watch for in Steelers’ preseason opener at Buccaneers
Since free agency and the draft constructed the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers roster, the team has convened (unofficially) 24 times for practices or practice-like organized team activities. This doesn’t include rookie minicamp, morning walkthroughs or other, less formal work. Friday, at last, the 91st edition of the Steelers takes the field...
Pitt rookies providing hope for Buccaneers in Year 1 after Tom Brady
Last year, the Steelers went through Year 1 ABB (after Big Ben). This year, their first opponent is going through Year 1 ATB (after Tom Brady). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers welcome the Steelers for a preseason-opening matchup Friday night. Former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield will get the team’s first start...
First Call: Cam Heyward not thrilled with top 100 list; ex-Steeler injured, ex-Pirate’s rare HR accomplishment
Thursday’s “First Call” illustrates why Pittsburgh Steelers defensive captain Cameron Heyward is unhappy with his NFL Network top 100 ranking. We look at some movement from the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. Plus, ex-Pirate Josh Bell just pulled off a significant accomplishment, and an ex-Steeler pulls up lame in another...
U mad, bro?: Variety of spicy hot takes from Pirates, Penguins, Steelers fans
They say variety is the spice of life. If so, then this week’s “U mad, bro?” is spicy like ghost pepper chicken wings. Bubbling Pirates fans. Defensive Steelers fans. Fed-up college sports fans. And I even found a way to make Penguins fans angry after the team got Erik Karlsson....
Steelers camp report: Kendrick Green continues to take plenty of fullback repsVideo
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged that it’s one thing to see his erstwhile starting center Kendrick Green take reps at fullback or H-back in practice but that it will be “significant” to see that play out in an actual game. That leaves open the possibility the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Green...
Steelers inside the ropes: Mike Tomlin bemoans, ‘Can somebody block T.J., please?’
In full pads for the fourth time over the past five practices and sixth time over the past nine days, the Pittsburgh Steelers drilled some run-game plays in 11-on-11 play Wednesday at Saint Vincent College. Outside linebacker T.J. Watt did his best to ensure the ball-carriers didn’t make it out...
Steelers looking for healthy bodies to play safety when they open preseason at Tampa BayVideo
Based on the players who practiced — and the ones who didn’t suit up — Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be depleted at safety when they open the preseason in two nights at Tampa Bay. Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee, who are listed as co-starters on coach Mike Tomlin’s initial...
Rodney ‘Hot Rod’ Williams making plays for Steelers, but fights numbers game at TE
Come out for the stretches and early individual work that begin Pittsburgh Steelers practices, and you’ll hear tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts repeatedly call out a particular name. “That’s my guy,” Rodney Williams was saying of his position coach. “Yeah, he’s called me ‘Hot Rod.’ “I don’t even hear ‘Rodney’...
Dave Wannstedt: ‘They see Kenny Pickett as a Super Bowl-type quarterback’
When it comes to praise for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett, fellow Pitt alum Dave Wannstedt has plenty. The former NFL and Pitt Panthers head coach is now a football analyst with the Fox family of networks. He joined FS1’s Colin Cowherd for a guest spot on Cowherd’s “Volume” podcast...
Mike Tomlin: All healthy players will see action in Steelers’ preseason opener
Mike Tomlin acknowledged the obvious Wednesday when he said that second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett will need more preseason snaps this year than, say, a more seasoned quarterback. As far as how many more reps Pickett might need, Tomlin wasn’t ready to answer that question. The Pittsburgh Steelers open the preseason...
First Call: Kenny Pickett starting to ‘change stuff at the line’ more often; TV host’s awkward Dwayne Haskins error
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett reveals an interesting detail about his expanding responsibilities. A pair of former Steelers are heading to new franchises. An ex-Penguin is looking to make a comeback. And a sports television host makes a regrettable mistake about Dwayne Haskins. All that in Wednesday’s “First Call.” Being...
Steelers camp report: Spirited, padded practice in effort to avoid a ‘corporate Monday morning’
Facing their first game week of the 2023 season, albeit merely the preseason, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin passed on the chance to take things slow Tuesday. Following a scheduled idle day Monday, for the first of two practices in advance of Friday’s preseason opener at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,...
Steelers add another safety in Jalen Elliott, waive/injured WR Ja’Marcus Bradley
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed safety Jalen Elliott and waived/injured wide receiver Ja’Marcus Bradley in advance of their training-camp practice at Saint Vincent on Tuesday. Elliott (6-foot, 210 pounds) has eight games (one start) of NFL regular-season experience, all with the Detroit Lions in 2021. Undrafted out of Notre Dame in...
Steelers’ Herbig brothers enjoy family affair with defensive tackle Keeanu Benton
Nate and Nick Herbig can be forgiven if they would like to make a correction to the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp roster. Along with Cameron and Connor Heyward, they are listed as the only other set of brothers among the 90 players training daily at Saint Vincent. But, in their...
Steelers inside the ropes: Offense goes ‘jumbo’ to win goal-line drill to punctuate practice
The ever-popular goal-line drill always hits big with Pittsburgh Steelers fans at training camp. Tuesday at Saint Vincent, it was the offense that was hitting big and with some very big bodies. The Steelers deployed four tight ends for most of their seven snaps taken from the 1 yard-line at...
QB Kenny Pickett on ‘go’ as Steelers work toward preseason opener against Tampa Bay
Kenny Pickett doesn’t know how long he will be on the field Friday night when the Pittsburgh Steelers open the preseason at Tampa Bay. The only thing for certain is he won’t be throwing passes in the final seconds of the game, which happened last year when he zipped a...
Steelers find comfort, stability in keeping QB room together
Heading into the 2022 offseason, of all the permutations that could’ve aligned for the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback room in 2023, the least likely appeared to be that it would come back in full. One thing was clear. Kenny Pickett was going to be locked in as the starter after the...
First Call: Opposing QB news for Steelers’ preseason, regular season openers; ex-Steeler may have averted a high school tragedy
Tuesday’s “First Call” has updates on which quarterbacks the Pittsburgh Steelers will face in both their preseason and regular season openers. A Steelers legend is going to be the subject of an upcoming documentary. The Steelers are taking a look at a former Baltimore Ravens offensive line prospect. And an...
Healthy Calvin Austin taking steps to becoming more well-rounded WR for Steelers
Barring the same type of unexpected — and unfortunate — injury that ruined his rookie season, wide receiver Calvin Austin will make his professional debut Friday night for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After suffering a foot injury on the eve of the 2022 preseason opener, Austin eventually needed surgery and spent...
First Call: Joey Porter Jr. quote angers Vontaze Burfict; ex-Steeler signs in Philly; San Jose reaction to Erik Karlsson trade
In Monday’s “First Call,” former Pittsburgh Steelers rival Vontaze Burfict fires back at Joey Porter Sr. and Jr. Another ex-Steeler signs in Philadelphia. The Pirates are about to take on Major League Baseball’s best team. And we have some reaction to the Erik Karlsson trade from San Jose’s point of...
No rookies named starters as Steelers unveil initial depth chart of preseasonVideo
With their first preseason game looming in five days, the Pittsburgh Steelers had to release their first depth chart of training camp, per NFL rules. The one coach Mike Tomlin unveiled Sunday night did not contain any surprises. None of the team’s rookie draft picks showed up on the first...
Steelers’ inside the ropes: Defense carries the day, twice stops 2-minute offenseVideo
All of the daily repetitions the Pittsburgh Steelers put in during “seven shots” to open practice paid off for the defense at the end of Sunday’s session. The defense came up with red-zone stops against Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky in the two-minute scenario that concluded the two-hour workout at...
