Steelers/NFL category, Page 319
Tim Benz: Want ‘March Madness’? Forget basketball. Track Steelers fans during free agency.
From now on, when I hear the phrase “March Madness,” I will no longer think about college basketball. I’ll think about tracking Steelers news on Twitter during the NFL free-agency “legal tampering” period. Because after what I saw this week, many Steelers fans have actually gone mad. Or somebody “legally...
First Call: Bud Dupree once wanted to fight one of his new Titans teammates; Cam Sutton on why he’s staying
Bud Dupree has left the Steelers for the Tennessee Titans. It turns out he and ex-teammate T.J. Watt had a dust-up with one of Bud’s new pals in Nashville. Steelers captain Cameron Heyward is sad to see Dupree leave. Meanwhile, Cameron Sutton is happy to stay. And some spring training...
ILB Vince Williams becomes salary-cap casualty after 8 seasons with Steelers
Vince Williams hinted at his departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers with a cryptic tweet Monday night. “I can hear the streets calling,” Williams wrote. On Tuesday, the Steelers sent Williams to the unemployment line when they terminated the contract of the eight-year veteran inside linebacker. Williams had one year remaining...
Steelers tackle Zach Banner: ‘Pittsburgh is going to be my home’
Zach Banner announced his return to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Banner posted a video on his verified Twitter account Tuesday afternoon saying he will be returning to the team for the 2021 season. Banner, a 27-year-old tackle, was set to become an unrestricted free agent at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Banner’s two-year...
CB Mike Hilton leaves Steelers for contract with Bengals
Mike Hilton is leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he’s staying in the AFC North. Hilton, the 5-foot-9 slot cornerback who was a regular member of the Steelers secondary the past four seasons, agreed to a contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, according to ESPN and NFL Network reports. The deal is...
Steelers nose tackle Tyson Alualu signs 2-year deal to return to Jacksonville
Tyson Alualu is leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers after four seasons to return to his former employer. Alualu, an 11-year veteran nose tackle, has agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars, his agent announced Tuesday. The deal won’t become official until 4 p.m. Wednesday when the NFL...
Mark Madden: Deion Sanders, aka ‘Prime Time,’ ushered in ego-first era
ESPN did a “30 for 30” called “Deion’s Double Play.” It centers on the events of Oct. 11, 1992, when Deion Sanders played an NFL game for the Atlanta Falcons at Miami, then went to Pittsburgh immediately after to suit up for the Atlanta Braves in Game 5 of the...
First Call: T.J. Watt on Bud Dupree’s departure; JuJu Smith-Schuster tells Steelers players he’s gone; Philly for Mike Hilton?
Steelers free-agency headlines dominate Tuesday’s “First Call.” It sounds like JuJu Smith-Schuster is halfway out the door. T.J. Watt bids adieu to Bud Dupree. Teams are eyeing up Mike Hilton. And there’s plenty of news surrounding the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, too. See ya’ around Where wide receiver JuJu...
Steelers lose OLB Bud Dupree, offensive lineman Matt Feiler in free agency
On the first day NFL teams could begin negotiating with free agents, the Pittsburgh Steelers lost two starters — one on each side of the ball. Matt Feiler, who has started at right tackle and left guard the past two seasons, signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Los...
Steelers keep CB Cam Sutton away from free agency, signing him to 2-year contract
Keeping the most versatile member of their secondary, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed cornerback Cameron Sutton to a two-year, $9 million contract Monday afternoon. NFL Network first reported the signing, which the Tribune-Review has confirmed. Sutton, a third-round pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, was set to become an unrestricted free...
Steelers extend contract of GM Kevin Colbert for 1 more year
Kevin Colbert will remain with the Pittsburgh Steelers for at least one more year. The Steelers announced Monday that Colbert, 64, has signed a one-year contract extension that runs through the 2022 NFL Draft. Colbert has been employed by the Steelers since 2000, serving first as director of football operations...
Madden Monday: Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster was ‘destined to leave after 4 years the minute he was drafted’
Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is likely to be with a new team by the end of the week via free agency. And if that happens, he wanted to bid a fond farewell to the City of Pittsburgh. No matter what happens this week, if I’m back or if I’m...
First Call: Are Steelers keeping Al Villanueva?; Penguins watching red-hot Islanders; scouting the Bruins
Could a certain Steelers veteran re-sign during free agency after all? That’s where we start Monday’s “First Call.” We also look at the Penguins’ next opponent after they dismissed the Buffalo Sabres. We keep an eye on the division-leading New York Islanders. And we have a mixed bag on the...
Tim Benz: List of ‘Steelers fallacies’ growing, getting more difficult to believe
This is a very delicate time of year on the calendar for Steelers fans. We’re in that period where we are barely getting over the shock of the annual January indignity endured by the team. We are just far enough away from whatever hurt we suffered, seeing the franchise eliminated...
JuJu Smith-Schuster: Pittsburgh will always be ‘part of who I am’
If receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster signs elsewhere as a free agent, he says he will still carry a part of Pittsburgh with him. The future of Smith-Schuster, who becomes an unrestricted free agent Wednesday, may be unclear, but his professed love for the city doesn’t appear to be in doubt. “No...
What you need to know about NFL free agency and the reduced salary cap
Cut, cut, hike! The NFL’s 2021 business year begins Wednesday, and the marketplace will be filled with high-profile free agents as teams have to shed costs in the wake of a bizarre season of fake crowd noise and cardboard fans. Whereas a year ago everyone was focused on where Tom...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Tom Brady’s contract shows why salary cap is a sham
Tom Brady reconfigured his contract to ignite the latest barrage of “Tom Brady makes less so his team can win more” propaganda. Like most propaganda, it’s primarily fiction. Brady’s wife is supermodel Gisele Bundchen. She has earned more than a half-billion dollars. Brady has earned $263 million playing football. When...
Steelers bring back guard/center B.J. Finney on 1-year contract
A familiar face is coming back to provide depth for the Pittsburgh Steelers on the interior of their offensive line. B.J. Finney, a 29-year-old guard/center, is returning to the organization that employed him from 2015-19. He signed a one-year contract with the Steelers on Friday. Finney is a candidate to...
After his release from Buffalo, WR John Brown thinks Steelers could be a fit
Veteran wide receiver John Brown is looking for a new home after being released by the Buffalo Bills. He thinks Pittsburgh could be a potential destination. One day after he was cut loose in a salary-cap move, Brown said the Steelers and Indianapolis Colts are two teams he wouldn’t mind...
First Call: Team that may have signed Ben Roethlisberger; team that may sign JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Conner
Let’s take a look at what could’ve been for Ben Roethlisberger had he not stayed in Pittsburgh. We also have a prediction on James Conner’s future, an ominous outlook for Pirates manager Derek Shelton, and another rough outing for former Penguins netminder Matt Murray. All that in Thursday’s “First Call.”...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans bristle at negativity after Ben Roethlisberger’s new deal, NFL’s overtime idea
In this week’s “U mad, bro?,” Steelers fans clap back at my lack of faith in the team. Someone doesn’t like the NFL’s new overtime proposal. And I share the best email I have ever received. Jerry read my article about the Baltimore Ravens’ new overtime proposal. Like me, he...
NFL awards Steelers compensatory pick in 4th-round of draft
Anticipation was that the Pittsburgh Steelers might be awarded two compensatory draft picks this year based on free-agent losses in the 2020 offseason. Instead, they got just one. When the NFL released the compensatory picks list Wednesday, the Steelers were awarded a pick in the fourth round, the 35th pick...
Steelers get WR, return specialist Ray-Ray McCloud under contract for 1 year
The Pittsburgh Steelers got one of their restricted free agents under contract Wednesday when they signed wide receiver/returner Ray-Ray McCloud to a one-year deal. McCloud, who spent the 2020 season with the Steelers after being signed in training camp, played in all 16 games and was credited with two starts....
Former Steelers player Ryan Switzer’s child released from hospital
After a stressful weekend in the hospital, the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Ryan Switzer is home. Christian Switzer, only nine months old, was admitted to the hospital Saturday after waking up covered in his blood. Christian, who also was diagnosed with covid-19, needed fluids, medication and several transfusions....
NFL sets salary cap at $182.5M; Steelers have about $6.1M to spend
With the NFL salary cap figure being set at $182.5 million Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers finally know how much room they will have to spend once free agency begins next week. It’s not much. Barring any further contracts being restructured, the Steelers will enter free agency approximately $6.1 million under...
